Semiconductor device and manufacturing method of the same

ABSTRACT

To improve the electrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor, and to provide a highly reliable semiconductor device with a small variation in electrical characteristics. The semiconductor device includes a first insulating film, a first barrier film over the first insulating film, a second insulating film over the first barrier film, and a first transistor including a first oxide semiconductor film over the second insulating film. The amount of hydrogen molecules released from the first insulating film at a given temperature higher than or equal to 400° C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy, is less than or equal to 130% of the amount of released hydrogen molecules at 300° C. The second insulating film includes a region containing oxygen at a higher proportion than oxygen in the stoichiometric composition.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to an object, a method, or a manufacturingmethod. The present invention also relates to a process, a machine,manufacture, or a composition of matter. In particular, one embodimentof the present invention relates to a semiconductor device, a displaydevice, a light-emitting device, a memory device, a driving methodthereof, or a manufacturing method thereof.

Note that in this specification and the like, a semiconductor devicerefers to any device that can function by utilizing semiconductorcharacteristics. An electro-optical device, an image display device(also simply referred to as a display device), a semiconductor circuit,a light-emitting device, a power storage device, a memory device, and anelectronic device include a semiconductor device in some cases.

BACKGROUND ART

As silicon which is used as a semiconductor of a transistor, eitheramorphous silicon or polycrystalline silicon is used depending on thepurpose. For example, in the case of a transistor included in alarge-sized display device, it is preferable to use amorphous silicon,which can be formed using the established technique for forming a filmon a large-sized substrate. On the other hand, in the case of atransistor included in a high-performance display device where drivercircuits are formed over the same substrate, it is preferable to usepolycrystalline silicon, which can form a transistor having a highfield-effect mobility. As a method for forming polycrystalline silicon,a method of performing high-temperature heat treatment or laser lighttreatment on amorphous silicon has been known.

In recent years, an oxide semiconductor has attracted attention. Forexample, a transistor which includes an amorphous oxide semiconductorcontaining indium, gallium, and zinc is disclosed (see Patent Document1).

An oxide semiconductor can be formed by a sputtering method or the like,and thus can be used for a channel formation region of a transistor in alarge display device. A transistor including an oxide semiconductor hasa high field-effect mobility; therefore, a high-performance displaydevice where driver circuits are formed over the same substrate can beobtained. In addition, there is an advantage that capital investment canbe reduced because part of production equipment for a transistorincluding amorphous silicon can be retrofitted and utilized.

A transistor including an oxide semiconductor is known to have anextremely low leakage current in an off state. For example, alow-power-consumption CPU utilizing the low leakage current of thetransistor including an oxide semiconductor is disclosed (see PatentDocument 2).

It is also disclosed that a transistor having a high field-effectmobility can be obtained by a well potential formed using an activelayer including a semiconductor (see Patent Document 3).

REFERENCE Patent Document

[Patent Document 1] Japanese Published Patent Application No.2006-165528

[Patent Document 2] Japanese Published Patent Application No.2012-257187

[Patent Document 3] Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2012-59860

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

An object of one embodiment of the present invention is to improve theelectrical characteristics of a semiconductor device including an oxidesemiconductor. Another object of one embodiment of the present inventionis to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device with a smallvariation in electrical characteristics. Still another object of oneembodiment of the present invention is to provide a novel semiconductordevice.

Note that the descriptions of these objects do not disturb the existenceof other objects. In one embodiment of the present specification, thereis no need to achieve all the above objects. Other objects will beapparent from and can be derived from the description of thespecification, the drawings, the claims, and the like.

One embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor deviceincluding a first insulating film, a first barrier film over the firstinsulating film, a second insulating film over the first barrier film,and a first transistor including a first oxide semiconductor film overthe second insulating film. The amount of hydrogen molecules releasedfrom the first insulating film at a given temperature higher than orequal to 400° C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy,is less than or equal to 130% of the amount of released hydrogenmolecules at 300° C. The second insulating film includes a regioncontaining oxygen at a higher proportion than oxygen in thestoichiometric composition.

In the first insulating film of the above structure, the detectionintensity of a mass-to-charge ratio of 2 with respect to temperature isless than or equal to 4×10⁻¹¹ A at 400° C., which is measured by thermaldesorption spectroscopy.

One embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor deviceincluding a first insulating film, a first barrier film over the firstinsulating film, a second insulating film over the first barrier film,and a first transistor including a first oxide semiconductor film overthe second insulating film. The amount of hydrogen molecules releasedfrom the first insulating film at 450° C., which is measured by thermaldesorption spectroscopy, is less than or equal to 130% of the amount ofreleased hydrogen molecules at 350° C. The second insulating filmincludes a region containing oxygen at a higher proportion than oxygenin the stoichiometric composition.

One embodiment of the present invention is a semiconductor deviceincluding a first insulating film, a first barrier film over the firstinsulating film, a second insulating film over the first barrier film,and a first transistor including a first oxide semiconductor film overthe second insulating film. The amount of hydrogen molecules releasedfrom the first insulating film at a given temperature higher than orequal to 400° C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy,is less than or equal to 130% of the amount of released hydrogenmolecules at 300° C. The second insulating film includes a regioncontaining oxygen at a higher proportion than oxygen in thestoichiometric composition. The first transistor includes the firstoxide semiconductor film over the second insulating film, a sourceelectrode and a drain electrode which are in contact with the firstoxide semiconductor film, a gate insulating film over the first oxidesemiconductor film, the source electrode, and the drain electrode, and agate electrode over the gate insulating film. The concentration ofhydrogen in each of the gate insulating film, the second insulatingfilm, and the first oxide semiconductor film is lower than 5×10¹⁸atoms/cm³.

In the above structure, the gate electrode faces a top surface and aside surface of the first oxide semiconductor film with the gateinsulating film interposed therebetween.

In the above structure, the first barrier film includes aluminum oxide,and the amount of hydrogen molecules released from the first barrierfilm at a temperature higher than or equal to 20° C. and lower than orequal to 600° C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy,is less than 2×10¹⁵/cm².

In the above structure, a second barrier film covering the firsttransistor is preferably provided.

In the above structure, the second barrier film includes aluminum oxide,and the amount of hydrogen molecules released from the second barrierfilm at a temperature higher than or equal to 20° C. and lower than orequal to 600° C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy,is less than 2×10¹⁵/cm².

In the above structure, a second oxide semiconductor film and a thirdoxide semiconductor film are provided with the first oxide semiconductorfilm interposed therebetween. The second oxide semiconductor film andthe third oxide semiconductor film each include one or more kinds ofmetal elements contained in the first oxide semiconductor film.

In the above structure, a capacitor is provided to be electricallyconnected to the source electrode or the drain electrode of the firsttransistor. An off-state current per microfarad of capacitance and permicrometer of channel width of the first transistor is lower than 4.3 yAat 85° C.

In the above structure, a capacitor is provided to be electricallyconnected to the source electrode or the drain electrode of the firsttransistor. An off-state current per microfarad of capacitance and permicrometer of channel width of the first transistor is lower than 1.5 yAat 95° C.

In the above structure, a second transistor formed in a substrateincluding a semiconductor material is provided under the firstinsulating film to be electrically connected to the first transistor.

In the above structure, the S value of the first transistor is greaterthan or equal to 60 mV/dec. and less than or equal to 100 mV/dec.

One embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing asemiconductor device, which includes the steps of forming a firsttransistor in a substrate including a semiconductor material; performingfirst heat treatment after the formation of the first transistor;forming a first insulating film over the first transistor; performingsecond heat treatment after the formation of the first insulating film;forming a first barrier film over the first insulating film; forming asecond insulating film over the first barrier film; forming an openingin the second insulating film, the first barrier film, and the firstinsulating film; and forming a second transistor including an oxidesemiconductor film which is over the second insulating film andelectrically connected to the first transistor through the opening.

One embodiment of the present invention is a method for manufacturing asemiconductor device, which includes the steps of forming a firsttransistor in a substrate including a semiconductor material; performingfirst heat treatment after the formation of the first transistor;forming a first insulating film over the first transistor; forming afirst barrier film over the first insulating film; forming a secondinsulating film over the first barrier film; forming an opening in thesecond insulating film, the first barrier film, and the first insulatingfilm; performing second heat treatment after the formation of theopening; and forming a second transistor including an oxidesemiconductor film which is over the second insulating film andelectrically connected to the first transistor through the opening.

In the above manufacturing method, the second heat treatment isperformed for less than or equal to 10 hours at a temperature higherthan or equal to 450° C. and lower than 650° C.

In the above manufacturing method, the first barrier film is formed by aDC sputtering method.

In the above manufacturing method, a second barrier film is formed overthe second transistor.

In the above manufacturing method, the second barrier film is formed bya DC sputtering method.

In the above manufacturing method, after the first transistor is formed,a third insulating film containing hydrogen is formed before the firstheat treatment.

It is possible to improve the electrical characteristics of asemiconductor device including an oxide semiconductor. It is alsopossible to manufacture a highly reliable semiconductor device with asmall variation in electrical characteristics. Alternatively, it ispossible to provide a novel semiconductor device. Note that thedescriptions of these effects do not disturb the existence of othereffects. In one embodiment of the present invention, there is no need toachieve all the effects. Other effects will be apparent from and can bederived from the description of the specification, the drawings, theclaims, and the like.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGS. 1A to 1C are a circuit diagram and cross-sectional viewsillustrating an example of a semiconductor device of one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are cross-sectional views illustrating examples of thesemiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-sectional views illustrating examples of thesemiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views illustrating examples of thesemiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of thesemiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 6A to 6C are cross-sectional views illustrating an example of amethod for manufacturing the semiconductor device of one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 7A to 7C are cross-sectional views illustrating an example of themethod for manufacturing the semiconductor device of one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 8A and 8B are cross-sectional views illustrating an example of themethod for manufacturing the semiconductor device of one embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIGS. 9A and 9B are band diagrams;

FIG. 10 illustrates a band structure of DOS inside an oxidesemiconductor film and in the vicinity of the interface of the oxidesemiconductor film;

FIGS. 11A and 11B are cross-sectional views illustrating an example ofthe semiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention;

FIGS. 12A to 12C are Cs-corrected high-resolution TEM images of a crosssection of a CAAC-OS, and FIG. 12D is a cross-sectional schematic viewof the CAAC-OS;

FIGS. 13A to 13D are Cs-corrected high-resolution TEM images of a planeof a CAAC-OS;

FIGS. 14A to 14C show structural analysis of a CAAC-OS and a singlecrystal oxide semiconductor by XRD;

FIGS. 15A and 15B show electron diffraction patterns of a CAAC-OS;

FIG. 16 shows a change in the crystal part of an In—Ga—Zn oxide inducedby electron irradiation;

FIGS. 17A and 17B are schematic views showing deposition models of aCAAC-OS and an nc-OS;

FIGS. 18A to 18C show an InGaZnO₄ crystal and a pellet;

FIGS. 19A to 19D are schematic views showing a deposition model of aCAAC-OS;

FIG. 20 illustrates an example of a configuration of a memory device;

FIG. 21 illustrates an example of a configuration of an RF tag of oneembodiment;

FIG. 22 illustrates an example of a configuration of a CPU of oneembodiment;

FIG. 23 is a circuit diagram of a memory element of one embodiment;

FIGS. 24A to 24C illustrate a display device of one embodiment;

FIG. 25 illustrates a display module;

FIGS. 26A to 26F illustrate electronic devices of one embodiment;

FIGS. 27A to 27F illustrate application examples of an RF device of oneembodiment;

FIG. 28 shows the results of TDS measurement;

FIG. 29 shows the results of TDS measurement;

FIG. 30 shows the electrical characteristics of transistors;

FIGS. 31A to 31C are top views each illustrating the structure of theperiphery of a transistor;

FIG. 32 shows the electrical characteristics of transistors;

FIG. 33 shows variations in the electrical characteristics oftransistors;

FIGS. 34A and 34B each show a relationship between voltage applied to asecond gate electrode and ideal drain current in a transistor at avoltage of a first gate electrode of 0 V;

FIG. 35 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a transistor in oneexample;

FIG. 36 shows the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics of an ideal transistor;

FIG. 37 is a circuit diagram illustrating an example of a measurementsystem;

FIGS. 38A and 38B are diagrams (timing charts) showing potentialsrelating to operation of a measurement system;

FIG. 39 shows the results of measurement of off-state current;

FIGS. 40A and 40B each show the results of measurement of off-statecurrent;

FIG. 41 is an Arrhenius plot diagram for showing off-state current;

FIG. 42A illustrates results of measurement of off-state current andFIG. 42B is an Arrhenius plot diagram for showing off-state current; and

FIG. 43 shows required retention years of devices and target leakagecurrent of transistors.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail withthe reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is notlimited to the description below, and it is easily understood by thoseskilled in the art that modes and details disclosed herein can bemodified in various ways. Furthermore, the present invention is notconstrued as being limited to the description of the embodiments. Indescribing the structures of the present invention with reference to thedrawings, common reference numerals are used for the same portions indifferent drawings. Note that the same hatched pattern is applied tosimilar parts, and the similar parts are not especially denoted byreference numerals in some cases.

Note that the size, the thickness of films (layers), or regions indrawings is sometimes exaggerated for simplicity.

A voltage usually refers to a potential difference between a givenpotential and a reference potential (e.g., a ground potential (GND) or asource potential). A voltage can therefore be referred to as apotential.

Note that the ordinal numbers such as “first” and “second” in thisspecification are used for convenience and do not denote the order ofsteps or the stacking order of layers. Therefore, for example,description can be made even when “first” is replaced with “second”,“third”, or the like as appropriate. In addition, the ordinal numbers inthis specification and the like are not necessarily the same as theordinal numbers used to specify one embodiment of the present invention.

Note that the channel length refers to, for example, a distance betweena source (a source region or a source electrode) and a drain (a drainregion or a drain electrode) in a region where a semiconductor (or aportion where a current flows in a semiconductor when a transistor ison) and a gate electrode overlap with each other or a region where achannel is formed in a top view of the transistor. In one transistor,channel lengths in all regions are not necessarily the same. In otherwords, the channel length of one transistor is not limited to one valuein some cases. Therefore, in this specification, the channel length isany one of values, the maximum value, the minimum value, or the averagevalue in a region where a channel is formed.

The channel width refers to, for example, the width of a source or adrain in a region where a semiconductor (or a portion where a currentflows in a semiconductor when a transistor is on) and a gate electrodeoverlap with each other or a region where a channel is formed. In onetransistor, channel widths in all regions do not necessarily have thesame value. In other words, the channel width of one transistor is notfixed to one value in some cases. Therefore, in this specification, thechannel width is any one of values, the maximum value, the minimumvalue, or the average value in a region where a channel is formed.

Note that depending on transistor structures, a channel width in aregion where a channel is actually formed (hereinafter referred to as aneffective channel width) is different from a channel width shown in atop view of a transistor (hereinafter referred to as an apparent channelwidth) in some cases. For example, in a transistor having athree-dimensional structure, an effective channel width is greater thanan apparent channel width shown in a top view of the transistor, and itsinfluence cannot be ignored in some cases. For example, in aminiaturized transistor having a three-dimensional structure, theproportion of a channel region formed in a top surface of asemiconductor is higher than the proportion of a channel region formedin a side surface of the semiconductor in some cases. In that case, aneffective channel width obtained when a channel is actually formed isgreater than an apparent channel width shown in the top view.

In a transistor having a three-dimensional structure, an effectivechannel width is difficult to measure in some cases. For example,estimation of an effective channel width from a design value requires anassumption that the shape of a semiconductor is known. Therefore, in thecase where the shape of a semiconductor is not known accurately, it isdifficult to measure an effective channel width accurately.

Therefore, in this specification, in a top view of a transistor, anapparent channel width, which is the length of a portion where a sourceand a drain face each other in a region where a semiconductor and a gateelectrode overlap with each other, is referred to as a surroundedchannel width (SCW) in some cases. Furthermore, in this specification,in the case where the term “channel width” is simply used, it may denotea surrounded channel width or an apparent channel width in some cases.Alternatively, in this specification, in the case where the term“channel width” is simply used, it may denote an effective channel widthin some cases. Note that the values of a channel length, a channelwidth, an effective channel width, an apparent channel width, asurrounded channel width, and the like can be determined by obtainingand analyzing a cross-sectional TEM image and the like.

Note that in the case where the field-effect mobility, current value perchannel width, and the like of a transistor are obtained by calculation,a surrounded channel width may be used for the calculation. In thatcase, the values may be different from those calculated using aneffective channel width in some cases.

In this specification, the term “parallel” indicates that the angleformed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to −10° andless than or equal to 10°, and accordingly also includes the case wherethe angle is greater than or equal to −5° and less than or equal to 5°.The term “substantially parallel” indicates that the angle formedbetween two straight lines is greater than or equal to −30° and lessthan or equal to 30°. The term “perpendicular” indicates that the angleformed between two straight lines is greater than or equal to 80° andless than or equal to 100°, and accordingly includes the case where theangle is greater than or equal to 85° and less than or equal to 95°. Theterm “substantially perpendicular” indicates that the angle formedbetween two straight lines is greater than or equal to 60° and less thanor equal to 120°.

In this specification, trigonal and rhombohedral crystal systems areincluded in a hexagonal crystal system.

Embodiment 1

In this embodiment, a structure and a manufacturing method of asemiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed with reference to drawings.

<Structure of Semiconductor Device>

FIG. 1A is an example of a circuit diagram of the semiconductor deviceof one embodiment of the present invention. The semiconductor deviceillustrated in FIG. 1A includes a transistor 100, a transistor 200, acapacitor 250, a wiring SL, a wiring BL, a wiring WL, and a wiring CL.

One of a source and a drain of the transistor 100 is electricallyconnected to the wiring BL, the other of the source and the drain of thetransistor 100 is electrically connected to the wiring SL, and a gate ofthe transistor 100 is electrically connected to one of a source and adrain of the transistor 200 and one electrode of the capacitor 250. Theother of the source and the drain of the transistor 200 is electricallyconnected to the wiring BL, and a gate of the transistor 200 iselectrically connected to the wiring WL. The other electrode of thecapacitor 250 is electrically connected to the wiring CL. Note that anode connecting the gate of the transistor 100, the one of the sourceand the drain of the transistor 200, and the one electrode of thecapacitor 250 is referred to as a node FN.

Accordingly, in the semiconductor device in FIG. 1A, a potential basedon the potential of the wiring BL is supplied to the node FN at the timewhen the transistor 200 is in a conduction state (on state). Moreover,the semiconductor device has a function of holding the potential of thenode FN at the time when the transistor 200 is in a non-conduction state(off state). In other words, the semiconductor device in FIG. 1A servesas a memory cell of a memory device. In the case where a display elementsuch as a liquid crystal element or an organic electroluminescence (EL)element is electrically connected to the node FN, the semiconductordevice in FIG. 1A can serve as a pixel of a display device.

Conduction and non-conduction states of the transistor 200 can becontrolled by the potential supplied to the wiring WL. When a transistorwith a low off-state current is used as the transistor 200, thepotential of the node FN at the time when the transistor 200 is in anon-conduction state can be held for a long time. This reduces thefrequency of refresh operations of the semiconductor device, resultingin a lower power consumption of the semiconductor device. An example ofthe transistor with a low off-state current includes a transistorincluding an oxide semiconductor.

A transistor including an oxide semiconductor film can have n-typeconductivity or p-type conductivity; the description below will made onn-type transistors. In this specification, a transistor that can beregarded as having no drain current flowing therein when a gate voltageis 0 V is defined as a transistor having normally-off characteristics.

A constant potential such as a ground potential is supplied to thewiring CL. In that case, the apparent threshold voltage of thetransistor 100 varies depending on the potential of the node FN. Whenthe apparent threshold voltage changes, conduction and non-conductionstates of the transistor 100 are changed, so that data can be read.

To hold a potential in the node FN at 85° C. for 10 years (3.15×10⁸seconds), off-state current is preferably lower than 4.3 yA(yoctoamperes, where 1 yA is 10⁻²⁴ A) per microfarad of capacitance andper micrometer of channel width of the transistor. In that case, theallowable potential variation in the node FN is preferably within 0.5 V.Alternatively, the off-state current is preferably lower than 1.5 yA at95° C. As described below, in the semiconductor device of one embodimentof the present invention, the hydrogen concentration in layers below abarrier film is sufficiently reduced. As a result, hydrogen diffusionfrom the layers below the barrier film to an oxide semiconductor abovethe barrier film can be prevented, the transistor including the oxidesemiconductor can therefore have such an extremely low off-statecurrent.

The subthreshold swing (S value) of the transistor including an oxidesemiconductor is greater than or equal to 66 mV/dec., preferably greaterthan or equal to 60 mV/dec., and more preferably greater than or equalto 50 mV/dec., and less than or equal to 200 mV/dec., preferably lessthan or equal to 150 mV/dec., more preferably less than or equal to 100mV/dec., and still more preferably less than or equal to 80 mV/dec. Asmaller S value leads to a decrease in the off-state current at acertain voltage at which the transistor is turned off.

When the semiconductor device illustrated in FIG. 1A is arranged in amatrix, a memory device (memory cell array) can be formed.

FIG. 1B is an example of a cross-sectional view of the semiconductordevice in FIG. 1A.

The semiconductor device illustrated in FIG. 1B includes the transistor100, the transistor 200, and the capacitor 250.

The transistor 100 is formed using a semiconductor substrate 150. Thetransistor 100 includes a projection of the semiconductor substrate 150,impurity regions 166 in the projection, an insulating film 162 includinga region in contact with a top surface and a side surface of theprojection, a conductive film 164 facing the top surface and the sidesurface of the projection with the insulating film 162 providedtherebetween, and an insulating film 160 in contact with a side surfaceof the conductive film 164. The conductive film 164 serves as a gateelectrode of the transistor 100. The impurity regions 166 serve as asource region and a drain region of the transistor 100. The transistor100 does not necessarily include the insulating film 160. An insulatingfilm may be provided over the projection of the semiconductor substrate150. The insulating film serves as a mask for forming the projection.

Note that here is shown an example in which the semiconductor substrate150 includes the projection; however, a semiconductor device of oneembodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto. For example,a semiconductor having a projection may be formed by processing an SOI(silicon on insulator) substrate.

The transistor 100 may be either an n-channel transistor or a p-channeltransistor, and an appropriate transistor is used in accordance with acircuit.

For example, single crystal silicon can be used for the semiconductorsubstrate 150, in which case the transistor 100 can operate at highspeed.

In the semiconductor device illustrated in FIG. 1B, the transistor 200is provided over the transistor 100 with an insulating film (e.g., aninsulating film 176) provided therebetween. Between the transistor 100and the transistor 200, a plurality of conductive films (e.g., aconductive film 173 and a conductive film 174) which serve as wiringsare provided. Wirings and electrodes provided in an upper layer and alower layer are electrically connected to each other by a plurality ofconductive films embedded in insulating films.

For example, an insulating film 170 illustrated in FIG. 1B is preferablyan insulating film containing hydrogen. In the case where asilicon-based semiconductor material is used for the transistor 100provided below the insulating film 170 containing hydrogen, hydrogen inthe insulating film 170 terminates dangling bonds of silicon when firstheat treatment is performed; as a result, the electrical characteristicsof the transistor 100 can be improved.

However, the amount of hydrogen in the insulating film 170 is largerthan that needed to terminate dangling bonds of silicon, so thathydrogen remains in the insulating film or the conductive films servingas wirings. The remaining hydrogen adversely affects the transistor 200including the oxide semiconductor film above the insulating film 170.Specifically, the hydrogen transfers to the transistor 200 inmanufacturing steps of the transistor 200 or the subsequent long-termoperation. The hydrogen causes generation of carriers in the oxidesemiconductor film, which might deteriorate the electricalcharacteristics of the transistor 200.

Therefore, in the case where the transistor 200 including an oxidesemiconductor is provided over the transistor 100 including asilicon-based semiconductor material, it is preferable that a barrierfilm 171 having a function of preventing diffusion of hydrogen beprovided between the transistors.

However, when an opening is formed in the barrier film 171 so that thetransistor 200 is electrically connected to the transistor 100 throughthe conductive films, hydrogen transfers to the transistor 200 throughthe opening and enters the oxide semiconductor film.

Hence, dehydrogenation or dehydration is performed by second heattreatment before the formation of the barrier film 171. The second heattreatment is preferably performed at as high a temperature as possiblewithin the range that does not adversely affect the heat resistance ofthe conductive films and the like in the semiconductor device and theelectrical characteristics of the transistor 100. Specifically, thesecond heat treatment is performed for less than or equal to 10 hours ata temperature higher than or equal to 450° C. and lower than 650° C.,preferably higher than or equal to 490° C. and lower than 650° C., andmore preferably higher than or equal to 530° C. and lower than 650° C.,or may be performed at a temperature higher than or equal to 650° C.Note that the second heat treatment is preferably performed at atemperature lower than or equal to the temperature of the first heattreatment. This prevents the electrical characteristics of thetransistor 100 from being deteriorated by the second heat treatment. Inaddition, the second heat treatment is preferably performed for a longerperiod than the first heat treatment. This improves the electricalcharacteristics of the transistor 200 without deteriorating theelectrical characteristics of the transistor 100. Alternatively, thesecond heat treatment may be performed at a temperature higher than thetemperature of the first heat treatment. In that case, dehydrogenationor dehydration can be performed completely, resulting in a furtherimprovement of the electrical characteristics of the transistor 200. Thefirst heat treatment can be omitted when the second heat treatmentserves also as the first treatment.

The second heat treatment may be performed more than once. It ispreferable that the second heat treatment be performed with a metal filmor the like covered with an insulating film or the like.

The amount of hydrogen molecules released from the insulating filmsbelow the barrier film 171 at a given temperature higher than or equalto 400° C., preferably higher than or equal to 450° C., which ismeasured by thermal desorption spectroscopy (hereinafter referred to asTDS), is less than or equal to 130%, preferably less than or equal to110% of the amount of released hydrogen molecules at 300° C.Alternatively, the amount of released hydrogen molecules at 450° C.,which is measured by TDS, is less than or equal to 130%, preferably lessthan or equal to 110% of the amount of released hydrogen molecules at350° C. Furthermore, the detection intensity of a mass-to-charge ratioof 2 with respect to temperature is preferably less than or equal to4×10⁻¹¹ A at 400° C.

The amount of water and hydrogen contained in the barrier film 171itself is also preferably low. For example, the barrier film 171 ispreferably formed using a material where the amount of released hydrogenmolecules (mass-to-charge ratio m/z=2) at a substrate surfacetemperature of 20° C. to 600° C., which is measured by TDS, is less than2×10¹⁵/cm², preferably less than 1×10¹⁵/cm², and more preferably lessthan 5×10¹⁴/cm². Alternatively, the barrier film 171 is preferablyformed using a material where the amount of released water molecules(mass-to-charge ratio m/z=18) at a substrate surface temperature of 20°C. to 600° C., which is measured by TDS, is less than 1×10¹⁶/cm²,preferably less than 5×10¹⁵/cm², and more preferably less than2×10¹²/cm². In addition, a barrier film (an insulating film in contactwith the top surface of the insulating film 170 in FIG. 1B) ispreferably provided in contact with the insulating film 170. The barrierfilm in contact with the insulating film 170 is not necessarilyprovided, and may be omitted as illustrated in FIG. 4B.

Such a structure improves the electrical characteristics of thetransistor 100 and also improves the electrical characteristics of thetransistor 200 because hydrogen is prevented from being diffused fromthe lower portion to the upper portion.

Such a structure including the plurality of stacked transistors leads toan increase in the degree of integration of the semiconductor device.

An opening may be formed in an insulating film and a void 175 may beformed between a conductive film embedded in the opening (e.g., theconductive film 173 illustrated in FIG. 1B) and an insulating filmcovering the conductive film. An opening may also be formed in aninsulating film and a void may be formed between a conductive filmembedded in the opening (e.g., the conductive film 174 illustrated inFIG. 1B) and an insulating film that has been planarized. Slurry used inthe planarization treatment may remain in the void or on the filmsurface subjected to the treatment. The void or the slurry relieves thestress of the film to suppress peeling, resulting in high yieldproduction.

The transistor 200 includes the insulating film 172 having a projectionover the barrier film 171; an oxide semiconductor film 206 over theprojection of the insulating film 172; a conductive film 216 a and aconductive film 216 b which are in contact with the oxide semiconductorfilm 206; a gate insulating film 212 over the oxide semiconductor film206, the conductive film 216 a, and the conductive film 216 b; and aconductive film 204 which is in contact with a top surface of the gateinsulating film 212 and faces top and side surfaces of the oxidesemiconductor film 206. Note that the insulating film 172 does notnecessarily include the projection. The conductive film 204 serves as agate electrode of the transistor 200. The conductive films 216 a and 216b serve as a source electrode and a drain electrode of the transistor200.

Moreover, a barrier film 218 having a function of blocking hydrogen ispreferably formed over the transistor 200 to cover the transistor 200.An insulating film 219 may be further provided over the barrier film218.

With the projection of the insulating film 172, the transistor 200 has astructure in which the oxide semiconductor film 206 can be electricallysurrounded by an electric field of the conductive film 204 (a structureof a transistor in which a semiconductor is electrically surrounded byan electric field of a conductive film is referred to as a surroundedchannel (s-channel) structure). Therefore, a channel is formed in theentire oxide semiconductor film 206 (bulk) in some cases. In thes-channel structure, the drain current of the transistor can beincreased, so that a larger amount of on-state current can be obtained.Furthermore, the entire channel formation region of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 can be depleted by the electric field of theconductive film 204. Accordingly, the off-state current of thetransistor with an s-channel structure can be further reduced. Asemiconductor device with the s-channel structure will be describedbelow in Modification example 4.

At least part (or all) of the conductive film 216 a (and/or theconductive film 216 b) is provided on at least part (or all) of asurface, a side surface, a top surface, and/or a bottom surface of asemiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film 206.

Alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216 a(and/or the conductive film 216 b) is in contact with at least part (orall) of a surface, a side surface, a top surface, and/or a bottomsurface of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film 206.Further alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216a (and/or the conductive film 216 b) is in contact with at least part(or all) of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film 206.

Alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216 a(and/or the conductive film 216 b) is electrically connected to at leastpart (or all) of a surface, a side surface, a top surface, and/or abottom surface of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film206. Further alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductivefilm 216 a (and/or the conductive film 216 b) is electrically connectedto at least part (or all) of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxidesemiconductor film 206.

Alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216 a(and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided near at least part (orall) of a surface, a side surface, a top surface, and/or a bottomsurface of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film 206.Further alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216a (and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided near at least part (orall) of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film 206.

Alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216 a(and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided on a side of at leastpart (or all) of a surface, a side surface, a top surface, and/or abottom surface of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film206. Further alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductivefilm 216 a (and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided on a side ofat least part (or all) of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductorfilm 206.

Alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216 a(and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided obliquely above at leastpart (or all) of a surface, a side surface, a top surface, and/or abottom surface of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film206. Further alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductivefilm 216 a (and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided obliquelyabove at least part (or all) of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxidesemiconductor film 206.

Alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216 a(and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided above at least part (orall) of a surface, a side surface, a top surface, and/or a bottomsurface of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film 206.Further alternatively, at least part (or all) of the conductive film 216a (and/or the conductive film 216 b) is provided above at least part (orall) of a semiconductor, e.g., the oxide semiconductor film 206.

The capacitor 250 illustrated in FIG. 1B includes the conductive film216 a; an insulating film 213 which is in contact with the conductivefilm 216 a and is formed in the same step as the gate insulating film212; and a conductive film 205 which is in contact with the insulatingfilm 213 and is formed in the same step as the conductive film 204. Notethat the conductive film 216 a serves as one electrode of the capacitor250, and the conductive film 205 serves as the other electrode of thecapacitor 250.

The conductive film 216 b is electrically connected to the wiring BL.The conductive film 205 is electrically connected to the wiring CL. Theconductive film 204 is electrically connected to the wiring WL.

Hereinafter, the components of the transistors 100 and 200 and thecapacitor 250, and the insulating films and the conductive films betweenthe components will be described in detail.

There is no large limitation on the semiconductor substrate 150. Forexample, a single crystal semiconductor substrate or a polycrystallinesemiconductor substrate made of silicon, silicon carbide, galliumarsenide, or the like, a compound semiconductor substrate made ofsilicon germanium or the like, or an SOI substrate may be used.Alternatively, any of these substrates provided with a semiconductorelement may be used. It is also possible to use a semiconductorsubstrate made of silicon having lattice distortion. The transistor 110may be a high-electron-mobility transistor (HEMT) using GaAs and GaAlAs.

The impurity regions 166 are formed by adding phosphorus (P), arsenic(As), or the like to the semiconductor substrate 150. Note thatphosphorus or arsenic is added here in order to form an n-typetransistor; an impurity element such as boron (B) or aluminum (Al) maybe added in the case of forming a p-type transistor.

The insulating film 162 may be formed of, for example, a single layer ora stack of an insulating film containing aluminum oxide, magnesiumoxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, siliconnitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide,lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, or tantalum oxide.

The insulating film 160 can be formed using a material similar to thatof the insulating film 162.

The conductive film 164 may be formed to have a single-layer structureor a stacked-layer structure using a conductive film containing one ormore kinds of aluminum, titanium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper,yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, ruthenium, silver, tantalum, andtungsten, for example. The conductive film 164 may be formed by asputtering method, a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, a molecularbeam epitaxy (MBE) method, a pulsed laser deposition (PLD) method, anatomic layer deposition (ALD) method, or the like.

Note that the CVD method can be classified into a plasma enhanced CVD(PECVD) method using plasma, a thermal CVD (TCVD) method using heat, andthe like. The CVD methods can be further classified into a metal CVD(MCVD) method and a metal organic CVD (MOCVD) method depending on asource gas.

By using the PECVD method, a high-quality film can be formed at arelatively low temperature. By using the TCVD method, in which plasma isnot used, a film with few defects can be formed because damage caused byplasma does not occur.

When the CVD method is used, the composition of a film to be formed canbe controlled with the flow rate ratio of source gases. For example, bythe MCVD method and the MOCVD method, a film with a certain compositioncan be formed depending on the flow rate ratio of the source gases.Moreover, with the MCVD method and the MOCVD method, by changing theflow rate ratio of the source gases while forming the film, a film whosecomposition is continuously changed can be formed. In the case where thefilm is formed while changing the flow rate ratio of the source gases,as compared to the case where the film is formed using a plurality ofdeposition chambers, time taken for the film formation can be reducedbecause time taken for transfer and pressure adjustment is omitted.Thus, transistors can be manufactured with improved productivity.

The insulating film 170 is preferably an insulating film containinghydrogen, that is, an insulating film that can release hydrogen. Forexample, a silicon nitride film or a silicon nitride oxide film can beused as the insulating film 170. In the case where a silicon-basedsemiconductor material is used for the transistor 100, hydrogen in theinsulating film 170 terminates dangling bonds of silicon in thesemiconductor substrate 150; as a result, the electrical characteristicsof the transistor 100 can be improved.

The barrier film 171 has a function of preventing diffusion ofimpurities from the transistor 100. The barrier film 171 may be, forexample, formed to have a single-layer structure or a stacked-layerstructure using an insulating film containing aluminum oxide, aluminumoxynitride, gallium oxide, gallium oxynitride, yttrium oxide, yttriumoxynitride, hafnium oxide, hafnium oxynitride, yttria-stabilizedzirconia (YSZ), or the like. The barrier film 171 may be formed by asputtering method, a CVD method, an MBE method, a PLD method, an ALDmethod, or the like. In particular, a DC sputtering method is preferablyemployed because dust generated in the deposition can be reduced and thefilm thickness can be uniform.

The insulating film 172 may be formed of, for example, a single layer ora stack of an insulating film containing aluminum oxide, magnesiumoxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, siliconnitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide,lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, or tantalum oxide.

The insulating film 172 preferably includes a region containing oxygenat a higher proportion than oxygen in the stoichiometric composition.The insulating film 172 including a region containing oxygen at a higherproportion than oxygen in the stoichiometric composition can have afunction of supplying oxygen to the oxide semiconductor film 206.

The insulating film 172 may be formed by a sputtering method, a CVDmethod, an MBE method, a PLD method, an ALD method, or the like.

Note that in the case where the insulating film 172 is a stacked-layerfilm, films in the stacked-layer film may be formed by differentformation methods such as the above formation methods. For example, thefirst layer may be formed by a CVD method and the second layer may beformed by an ALD method. Alternatively, the first layer may be formed bya sputtering method and the second layer may be formed by an ALD method.By thus using different formation methods, the films can have differentfunctions or different properties. Then, by stacking the films, a moreappropriate film can be formed as a stacked-layer film.

In other words, an n-th film is formed by at least one of a sputteringmethod, a CVD method, an MBE method, a PLD method, an ALD method, andthe like, and an (n+1)th film is formed by at least one of a sputteringmethod, a CVD method, an MBE method, a PLD method, an ALD method, andthe like (n is a natural number). Note that the n-th film and the(n+1)th film may be formed by the same formation method or differentformation methods. Note that the n-th film and an (n+2)th film may beformed by the same formation method. Alternatively, all the films may beformed by the same formation method.

To planarize the surface of the insulating film to be the insulatingfilm 172, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) treatment may beperformed. By CMP treatment, the insulating film to be the insulatingfilm 172 has an average surface roughness (Ra) of 1 nm or less,preferably 0.3 nm or less, and more preferably 0.1 nm or less. In somecases, Ra that is less than or equal to the above value can increase thecrystallinity of the oxide semiconductor film 206. Ra can be measuredusing an atomic force microscope (AFM).

The oxide semiconductor which can be used for the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 is an oxide containing indium. An oxide can have a high carriermobility (electron mobility) by containing indium, for example. An oxidesemiconductor preferably contains an element M. The element M ispreferably aluminum, gallium, yttrium, tin, or the like. Other elementswhich can be used as the element M are boron, silicon, titanium, iron,nickel, germanium, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, lanthanum, cerium,neodymium, hafnium, tantalum, tungsten, and the like. Note that two ormore of the above elements may be used in combination as the element M.The element M is an element having a high bonding energy with oxygen,for example. The element M is an element that can increase the energygap of the oxide, for example. Furthermore, the oxide semiconductorpreferably contains zinc. When the oxide contains zinc, the oxide can beeasily crystallized, for example.

Note that the oxide semiconductor is not limited to the oxide containingindium. The oxide semiconductor may be, for example, zinc tin oxide orgallium tin oxide.

For the oxide semiconductor, an oxide with a wide energy gap is used.For example, the energy gap of the oxide semiconductor is greater thanor equal to 2.5 eV and less than or equal to 4.2 eV, preferably greaterthan or equal to 2.8 eV and less than or equal to 3.8 eV, and morepreferably greater than or equal to 3 eV and less than or equal to 3.5eV.

An influence of impurities in the oxide semiconductor is describedbelow. In order to obtain stable electrical characteristics of atransistor, it is effective to reduce the concentration of impurities inthe oxide semiconductor to have a lower carrier density so that theoxide semiconductor is highly purified. The carrier density of the oxidesemiconductor is set to be lower than 1×10¹⁷/cm³, lower than 1×10¹⁵/cm³,or lower than 1×10¹³/cm³. In order to reduce the concentration ofimpurities in the oxide semiconductor, the concentration of impuritiesin a film which is adjacent to the oxide semiconductor is alsopreferably reduced.

Note that an impurity in a semiconductor film refers to, for example,elements other than the main components of the semiconductor film. Forexample, an element with a concentration of lower than 0.1 atomic % isan impurity. When an impurity is contained, density of states (DOS) maybe formed in the semiconductor film, the carrier mobility may bedecreased, or the crystallinity may be lowered, for example. In the casewhere the semiconductor film is an oxide semiconductor film, examples ofan impurity which changes the characteristics of the semiconductor filminclude Group 1 elements, Group 2 elements, Group 14 elements, Group 15elements, and transition metals other than the main components;specifically, there are hydrogen (included in water), lithium, sodium,silicon, boron, phosphorus, carbon, and nitrogen, for example. When thesemiconductor film is an oxide semiconductor film, oxygen vacancies maybe formed by entry of impurities.

When DOS exists inside an oxide semiconductor film and in the vicinityof the interface between the oxide semiconductor film and the outside,DOS can cause deterioration of a transistor including the oxidesemiconductor film. The DOS inside the oxide semiconductor film and inthe vicinity of the interface of the oxide semiconductor film can beexplained on the basis of the positions of and the bonding relationamong oxygen (O), an oxygen vacancy (V_(O)), and hydrogen (H). A conceptof out model is described below for understanding of characteristics.

Our conclusion is that: in order to fabricate a transistor with stableelectrical characteristics, it is important to reduce the DOS inside theoxide semiconductor film and in the vicinity of the interface of theoxide semiconductor film (to make a highly purified intrinsic state). Toreduce the DOS, oxygen vacancies and hydrogen should be reduced. It isexplained below with a model why oxygen vacancies and hydrogen should bereduced for minimizing the DOS inside the oxide semiconductor film andin the vicinity of the interface.

FIG. 10 illustrates a band structure of DOS inside an oxidesemiconductor film and in the vicinity of the interface of the oxidesemiconductor film. Description is made below on the assumption that theoxide semiconductor film is an oxide semiconductor film containingindium, gallium, and zinc.

There are two types of DOS, DOS at a shallow level (shallow level DOS)and DOS at a deep level (deep level DOS). Note that in thisspecification, the shallow level DOS refers to DOS between energy at theconduction band minimum (Ec) and the mid gap. Thus, for example, theshallow level DOS is located closer to energy at the conduction bandminimum. Note that in this specification, the deep level DOS refers toDOS between energy at the valence band maximum (Ev) and the mid gap.Thus, for example, the deep level DOS is located closer to the mid gapthan to energy at the valence band maximum.

Hence, in the oxide semiconductor film, there are two types of shallowlevel DOS. One is DOS in the vicinity of a surface of an oxidesemiconductor film (at the interface with an insulating film (insulator)or in the vicinity of the interface with the insulating film), that is,surface shallow DOS. The other is DOS inside the oxide semiconductorfilm, that is, bulk shallow DOS. Furthermore, as a type of the deeplevel DOS, there is DOS inside the oxide semiconductor film, that is,bulk deep DOS.

These types of DOS are likely to act in the following manner. Thesurface shallow DOS in the vicinity of the surface of an oxidesemiconductor film is located at a shallow level from the conductionband minimum, and thus trap and loss of an electric charge are likely tooccur in the surface shallow DOS. The bulk shallow DOS inside the oxidesemiconductor film is located at a deep level from the conduction bandminimum as compared to the surface shallow DOS in the vicinity of thesurface of the oxide semiconductor film, and thus loss of an electriccharge does not easily occur in the bulk shallow DOS.

An element causing DOS in an oxide semiconductor film is describedbelow.

For example, when a silicon oxide film is formed over an oxidesemiconductor film, indium contained in the oxide semiconductor film istaken into the silicon oxide film and replaced with silicon to formshallow level DOS.

For example, in the interface between the oxide semiconductor film andthe silicon oxide film, a bond between oxygen and indium contained inthe oxide semiconductor film is broken and a bond between the oxygen andsilicon is generated. This is because the bonding energy between siliconand oxygen is higher than the bonding energy between indium and oxygen,and the valence of silicon (tetravalence) is larger than the valence ofindium (trivalence). Oxygen contained in the oxide semiconductor film istrapped by silicon, so that a site of oxygen that has been bonded toindium becomes an oxygen vacancy. In addition, this phenomenon occurssimilarly when silicon is contained inside the oxide semiconductor film,as well as in the surface. Such an oxygen vacancy forms deep level DOS.

Another cause as well as silicon can break the bond between indium andoxygen. For example, in an oxide semiconductor film containing indium,gallium, and zinc, the bond between indium and oxygen is weaker and cutmore easily than the bond between oxygen and gallium or zinc. For thisreason, the bond between indium and oxygen is broken by plasma damagesor damages due to sputtered particles, so that an oxygen vacancy can beproduced. The oxygen vacancy forms deep level DOS. The deep level DOScan trap a hole and thus serve as a hole trap (hole trapping center).This means that the oxygen vacancy forms bulk deep DOS inside the oxidesemiconductor film.

Such deep level DOS due to an oxygen vacancy is one of causes forforming the surface shallow DOS in the vicinity of the surface of theoxide semiconductor film or the bulk shallow DOS inside the oxidesemiconductor film because of hydrogen.

Since such an oxygen vacancy forms DOS, the oxygen vacancy is aninstability factor to the oxide semiconductor film. In addition, anoxygen vacancy in the oxide semiconductor film traps hydrogen to bemetastable. That is, when an oxygen vacancy that forms deep level DOSand is a hole trap being capable of trapping a hole traps hydrogen, ashallow level DOS is formed. As a result, the shallow level DOS canserve as an electron trap that can capture an electron or serve as agenerator of an electron. In this manner, an oxygen vacancy captureshydrogen. However, an oxygen vacancy can be positively (neutrally orpositively) charged or negatively (neutrally or negatively) charged,depending on the location of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor film.Thus, hydrogen might give an adverse effect on a transistor includingthe oxide semiconductor film.

The concentration of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor measured bySIMS is set to be lower than or equal to 2×10²⁰ atoms/cm³, preferablylower than or equal to 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, more preferably lower than orequal to 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, and still more preferably lower than or equalto 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³. When nitrogen is contained in the oxidesemiconductor, the carrier density is increased in some cases. Theconcentration of nitrogen in the oxide semiconductor measured by SIMS isset to be lower than 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than or equal to5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, more preferably lower than or equal to 1×10¹⁸atoms/cm³, and still more preferably lower than or equal to 5×10¹⁷atoms/cm³.

It is preferable to reduce the concentration of hydrogen in theinsulating film 172 in order to reduce the concentration of hydrogen inthe oxide semiconductor. The concentration of hydrogen in the insulatingfilm 172 measured by SIMS is set to be lower than or equal to 2×10²⁰atoms/cm³, preferably lower than or equal to 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, morepreferably lower than or equal to 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, and still morepreferably lower than or equal to 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³. It is preferable toreduce the concentration of nitrogen in the insulating film 172 in orderto reduce the concentration of nitrogen in the oxide semiconductor. Theconcentration of nitrogen in the insulating film 172 measured by SIMS isset to be lower than 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than or equal to5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, more preferably lower than or equal to 1×10¹⁸atoms/cm³, and still more preferably lower than or equal to 5×10¹⁷atoms/cm³.

It is preferable to reduce the concentration of hydrogen in the gateinsulating film 212 in order to reduce the concentration of hydrogen inthe oxide semiconductor. The concentration of hydrogen in the gateinsulating film 212 measured by SIMS is set to be lower than or equal to2×10²⁰ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than or equal to 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³,more preferably lower than or equal to 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, and still morepreferably lower than 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³. It is preferable to reduce theconcentration of nitrogen in the gate insulating film 212 in order toreduce the concentration of nitrogen in the oxide semiconductor. Theconcentration of nitrogen in the gate insulating film 212 measured bySIMS is set to be lower than 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than orequal to 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, more preferably lower than or equal to 1×10¹⁸atoms/cm³, and still more preferably lower than or equal to 5×10¹⁷atoms/cm³.

Silicon in the oxide semiconductor might serve as a carrier trap or acarrier generation source in some cases. Therefore, the concentration ofsilicon in a region between the oxide semiconductor and the insulatingfilm 172 measured by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is set to belower than 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, andmore preferably lower than 2×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³. The concentration ofsilicon in a region between the oxide semiconductor and the insulatingfilm 172 measured by SIMS is set to be lower than 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³,preferably lower than 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, and more preferably lower than2×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

<Structure of Oxide Semiconductor Film>

The structure of the oxide semiconductor film will be described below.

An oxide semiconductor film is classified into a single crystal oxidesemiconductor film and a non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film.Examples of the non-single-crystal oxide semiconductor film include ac-axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor (CAAC-OS) film, apolycrystalline oxide semiconductor film, a microcrystalline oxidesemiconductor film, and an amorphous oxide semiconductor film.

From another perspective, an oxide semiconductor film is classified intoan amorphous oxide semiconductor film and a crystalline oxidesemiconductor film. Examples of the crystalline oxide semiconductor filminclude a single crystal oxide semiconductor film, a CAAC-OS film, apolycrystalline oxide semiconductor film, and a microcrystalline oxidesemiconductor film.

<CAAC-OS Film>

First, a CAAC-OS film is described. Note that a CAAC-OS film can bereferred to as an oxide semiconductor film including c-axis alignednanocrystals (CANC).

A CAAC-OS film is one of oxide semiconductor films having a plurality ofc-axis aligned crystal parts (also referred to as pellets).

In a combined analysis image (also referred to as a high-resolution TEMimage) of a bright-field image and a diffraction pattern of a CAAC-OSfilm, which is obtained using a transmission electron microscope (TEM),a plurality of pellets can be observed. However, in the high-resolutionTEM image, a boundary between pellets, that is, a grain boundary is notclearly observed. Thus, in the CAAC-OS film, a reduction in electronmobility due to the grain boundary is less likely to occur.

A CAAC-OS film observed with TEM is described below. FIG. 12A shows ahigh-resolution TEM image of a cross section of the CAAC-OS film whichis observed from a direction substantially parallel to the samplesurface. The high-resolution TEM image is obtained with a sphericalaberration corrector function. The high-resolution TEM image obtainedwith a spherical aberration corrector function is particularly referredto as a Cs-corrected high-resolution TEM image. The Cs-correctedhigh-resolution TEM image can be obtained with, for example, an atomicresolution analytical electron microscope JEM-ARM200F manufactured byJEOL Ltd.

FIG. 12B is an enlarged Cs-corrected high-resolution TEM image of aregion (1) in FIG. 12A. FIG. 12B shows that metal atoms are arranged ina layered manner in a pellet. Each metal atom layer has a configurationreflecting unevenness of a surface over which the CAAC-OS film is formed(hereinafter, the surface is referred to as a formation surface) or atop surface of the CAAC-OS film, and is arranged parallel to theformation surface or the top surface of the CAAC-OS film.

As shown in FIG. 12B, the CAAC-OS film has a characteristic atomicarrangement. The characteristic atomic arrangement is denoted by anauxiliary line in FIG. 12C. FIGS. 12B and 12C prove that the size of apellet is approximately 1 nm to 3 nm, and the size of a space caused bytilt of the pellets is approximately 0.8 nm. Therefore, the pellet canalso be referred to as a nanocrystal (nc).

Here, according to the Cs-corrected high-resolution TEM images, theschematic arrangement of pellets 5100 of a CAAC-OS film over a substrate5120 is illustrated by such a structure in which bricks or blocks arestacked (see FIG. 12D). The part in which the pellets are tilted asobserved in FIG. 12C corresponds to a region 5121 shown in FIG. 12D.

FIG. 13A shows a Cs-corrected high-resolution TEM image of a plane ofthe CAAC-OS film observed from a direction substantially perpendicularto the sample surface. FIGS. 13B, 13C, and 13D are enlarged Cs-correctedhigh-resolution TEM images of regions (1), (2), and (3) in FIG. 13A,respectively. FIGS. 13B, 13C, and 13D indicate that metal atoms arearranged in a triangular, quadrangular, or hexagonal configuration in apellet. However, there is no regularity of arrangement of metal atomsbetween different pellets.

Next, a CAAC-OS film analyzed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) is described.For example, when the structure of a CAAC-OS film including an InGaZnO₄crystal is analyzed by an out-of-plane method, a peak appears at adiffraction angle (2θ) of around 31° as shown in FIG. 14A. This peak isderived from the (009) plane of the InGaZnO₄ crystal, which indicatesthat crystals in the CAAC-OS film have c-axis alignment, and that thec-axes are aligned in a direction substantially perpendicular to theformation surface or the top surface of the CAAC-OS film.

Note that in structural analysis of the CAAC-OS film by an out-of-planemethod, another peak may appear when 2θ is around 36°, in addition tothe peak at 2θ of around 31°. The peak at 2θ of around 36° indicatesthat a crystal having no c-axis alignment is included in part of theCAAC-OS film. It is preferable that in the CAAC-OS film analyzed by anout-of-plane method, a peak appear when 2θ is around 31° and that a peaknot appear when 2θ is around 36°.

On the other hand, in structural analysis of the CAAC-OS film by anin-plane method in which an X-ray is incident on a sample in a directionsubstantially perpendicular to the c-axis, a peak appears when 2θ isaround 56°. This peak is attributed to the (110) plane of the InGaZnO₄crystal. In the case of the CAAC-OS film, when analysis (φ scan) isperformed with 2θ fixed at around 56° and with the sample rotated usinga normal vector of the sample surface as an axis (φ axis), as shown inFIG. 14B, a peak is not clearly observed. In contrast, in the case of asingle crystal oxide semiconductor of InGaZnO₄, when φ scan is performedwith 2θ fixed at around 56°, as shown in FIG. 14C, six peaks which arederived from crystal planes equivalent to the (110) plane are observed.Accordingly, the structural analysis using XRD shows that the directionsof a-axes and b-axes are different in the CAAC-OS film.

Next, a CAAC-OS film analyzed by electron diffraction is described. Forexample, when an electron beam with a probe diameter of 300 nm isincident on a CAAC-OS film including an InGaZnO₄ crystal in a directionparallel to the sample surface, a diffraction pattern (also referred toas a selected-area transmission electron diffraction pattern) shown inFIG. 15A might be obtained. In this diffraction pattern, spots derivedfrom the (009) plane of an InGaZnO₄ crystal are included. Thus, theelectron diffraction also indicates that pellets included in the CAAC-OSfilm have c-axis alignment and that the c-axes are aligned in adirection substantially perpendicular to the formation surface or thetop surface of the CAAC-OS film. Meanwhile, FIG. 15B shows a diffractionpattern obtained in such a manner that an electron beam with a probediameter of 300 nm is incident on the same sample in a directionperpendicular to the sample surface. As shown in FIG. 15B, a ring-likediffraction pattern is observed. Thus, the electron diffraction alsoindicates that the a-axes and b-axes of the pellets included in theCAAC-OS film do not have regular alignment. The first ring in FIG. 15Bis considered to be derived from the (010) plane, the (100) plane, andthe like of the InGaZnO₄ crystal. The second ring in FIG. 15B isconsidered to be derived from the (110) plane and the like.

Moreover, the CAAC-OS film is an oxide semiconductor film having a lowdensity of defect states. Defects in the oxide semiconductor film are,for example, a defect due to impurity and oxygen vacancy. Therefore, theCAAC-OS film can be regarded as an oxide semiconductor film with a lowimpurity concentration, or an oxide semiconductor film having a smallamount of oxygen vacancy.

The impurity contained in the oxide semiconductor film might serve as acarrier trap or serve as a carrier generation source. Furthermore,oxygen vacancy in the oxide semiconductor serves as a carrier trap orserves as a carrier generation source when hydrogen is captured therein.

Note that the impurity means an element other than the main componentsof the oxide semiconductor film, such as hydrogen, carbon, silicon, or atransition metal element. For example, an element (specifically, siliconor the like) having higher strength of bonding to oxygen than a metalelement included in an oxide semiconductor film extracts oxygen from theoxide semiconductor film, which results in disorder of the atomicarrangement and reduced crystallinity of the oxide semiconductor film. Aheavy metal such as iron or nickel, argon, carbon dioxide, or the likehas a large atomic radius (or molecular radius), and thus disturbs theatomic arrangement of the oxide semiconductor film and decreasescrystallinity.

An oxide semiconductor film having a low density of defect states (asmall amount of oxygen vacancy) can have a low carrier density. Such anoxide semiconductor film is referred to as a highly purified intrinsicor substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor film. ACAAC-OS film has a low impurity concentration and a low density ofdefect states. That is, a CAAC-OS film is likely to be highly purifiedintrinsic or substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductorfilm. Thus, a transistor including a CAAC-OS film rarely has negativethreshold voltage (is rarely normally on). The highly purified intrinsicor substantially highly purified intrinsic oxide semiconductor film hasfew carrier traps. An electric charge trapped by the carrier traps inthe oxide semiconductor film takes a long time to be released. Thetrapped electric charge may behave like a fixed electric charge. Thus,the transistor which includes the oxide semiconductor film having a highimpurity concentration and a high density of defect states might haveunstable electrical characteristics. However, a transistor including aCAAC-OS film has small variation in electrical characteristics and highreliability.

Since the CAAC-OS film has a low density of defect states, carriesgenerated by light irradiation or the like are less likely to be trappedin defect states. Therefore, in a transistor using the CAAC-OS film,change in electrical characteristics due to irradiation with visiblelight or ultraviolet light is small.

<Microcrystalline Oxide Semiconductor Film>

Next, a microcrystalline oxide semiconductor film is described.

A microcrystalline oxide semiconductor film has a region in which acrystal part is observed and a region in which a crystal part is notclearly observed in a high-resolution TEM image. In most cases, the sizeof a crystal part included in the microcrystalline oxide semiconductorfilm is greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 100 nm,or greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm. Anoxide semiconductor film including a nanocrystal (nc) that is amicrocrystal with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than orequal to 10 nm, or a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than orequal to 3 nm is specifically referred to as a nanocrystalline oxidesemiconductor (nc-OS) film. In a high-resolution TEM image of the nc-OS,for example, a grain boundary is not clearly observed in some cases.Note that there is a possibility that the origin of the nanocrystal isthe same as that of a pellet in a CAAC-OS film. Therefore, a crystalpart of the nc-OS film may be referred to as a pellet in the followingdescription.

In the nc-OS film, a microscopic region (for example, a region with asize greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm, inparticular, a region with a size greater than or equal to 1 nm and lessthan or equal to 3 nm) has a periodic atomic arrangement. There is noregularity of crystal orientation between different pellets in the nc-OSfilm. Thus, the orientation of the whole film is not ordered.Accordingly, the nc-OS film cannot be distinguished from an amorphousoxide semiconductor film, depending on an analysis method. For example,when the nc-OS film is subjected to structural analysis by anout-of-plane method with an XRD apparatus using an X-ray having adiameter larger than the size of a pellet, a peak that shows a crystalplane does not appear. Furthermore, a diffraction pattern like a halopattern is observed when the nc-OS film is subjected to electrondiffraction using an electron beam with a probe diameter (e.g., 50 nm orlarger) that is larger than the size of a pellet (the electrondiffraction is also referred to as selected-area electron diffraction).Meanwhile, spots appear in a nanobeam electron diffraction pattern ofthe nc-OS film when an electron beam having a probe diameter close to orsmaller than the size of a pellet is applied. Moreover, in a nanobeamelectron diffraction pattern of the nc-OS film, regions with highluminance in a circular (ring) pattern are shown in some cases. Also ina nanobeam electron diffraction pattern of the nc-OS film, a pluralityof spots are shown in a ring-like region in some cases.

Since there is no regularity of crystal orientation between the pellets(nanocrystals) as mentioned above, the nc-OS film can also be referredto as an oxide semiconductor film including random aligned nanocrystals(RANC) or an oxide semiconductor film including non-aligned nanocrystals(NANC).

The nc-OS film is an oxide semiconductor film that has high regularityas compared with an amorphous oxide semiconductor film. Therefore, thenc-OS film is likely to have a lower density of defect states than anamorphous oxide semiconductor film. Note that there is no regularity ofcrystal orientation between different pellets in the nc-OS film.Therefore, the nc-OS film has a higher density of defect states than theCAAC-OS film.

<Amorphous Oxide Semiconductor Film>

Next, an amorphous oxide semiconductor film is described.

The amorphous oxide semiconductor film is an oxide semiconductor filmhaving disordered atomic arrangement and no crystal part and exemplifiedby an oxide semiconductor film which exists in an amorphous state asquartz.

In a high-resolution TEM image of the amorphous oxide semiconductorfilm, crystal parts cannot be found.

When the amorphous oxide semiconductor film is subjected to structuralanalysis by an out-of-plane method with an XRD apparatus, a peak whichshows a crystal plane does not appear. A halo pattern is observed whenthe amorphous oxide semiconductor film is subjected to electrondiffraction. Furthermore, a spot is not observed and only a halo patternappears when the amorphous oxide semiconductor film is subjected tonanobeam electron diffraction.

There are various understandings of an amorphous structure. For example,a structure whose atomic arrangement does not have ordering at all iscalled a completely amorphous structure. Meanwhile, a structure whichhas ordering until the nearest neighbor atomic distance or thesecond-nearest neighbor atomic distance but does not have long-rangeordering is also called an amorphous structure. Therefore, the strictestdefinition does not permit an oxide semiconductor film to be called anamorphous oxide semiconductor film as long as even a negligible degreeof ordering is present in an atomic arrangement. At least an oxidesemiconductor film having long-term ordering cannot be called anamorphous oxide semiconductor film. Accordingly, because of the presenceof crystal part, for example, a CAAC-OS film and an nc-OS film cannot becalled an amorphous oxide semiconductor film or a completely amorphousoxide semiconductor film.

<Amorphous-Like Oxide Semiconductor Film>

Note that an oxide semiconductor film may have a structure intermediatebetween the nc-OS film and the amorphous oxide semiconductor film. Theoxide semiconductor film having such a structure is specificallyreferred to as an amorphous-like oxide semiconductor (a-like OS) film.

In a high-resolution TEM image of the a-like OS film, a void may beobserved. Furthermore, in the high-resolution TEM image, there are aregion where a crystal part is clearly observed and a region where acrystal part is not observed.

The a-like OS film has an unstable structure because it includes a void.To verify that an a-like OS film has an unstable structure as comparedwith a CAAC-OS film and an nc-OS film, a change in structure caused byelectron irradiation is described below.

An a-like OS film (sample A), an nc-OS film (sample B), and a CAAC-OSfilm (sample C) are prepared as samples subjected to electronirradiation. Each of the samples is an In—Ga—Zn oxide.

First, a high-resolution cross-sectional TEM image of each sample isobtained. The high-resolution cross-sectional TEM images show that allthe samples have crystal parts.

Note that which part is regarded as a crystal part is determined asfollows. It is known that a unit cell of an InGaZnO₄ crystal has astructure in which nine layers including three In—O layers and sixGa—Zn—O layers are stacked in the c-axis direction. The distance betweenthe adjacent layers is equivalent to the lattice spacing on the (009)plane (also referred to as d value). The value is calculated to be 0.29nm from crystal structural analysis. Accordingly, a portion where thelattice spacing between lattice fringes is greater than or equal to 0.28nm and less than or equal to 0.30 nm is regarded as a crystal part ofInGaZnO₄. Each of lattice fringes corresponds to the a-b plane of theInGaZnO₄ crystal.

FIG. 16 shows a change in the average size of crystal parts (at 22points to 45 points) in each sample. Note that the crystal part sizecorresponds to the length of a lattice fringe. FIG. 16 indicates thatthe crystal part size in the a-like OS film increases with an increasein the cumulative electron dose. Specifically, as shown by (1) in FIG.16, a crystal part of approximately 1.2 nm (also referred to as aninitial nucleus) at the start of TEM observation grows to a size ofapproximately 2.6 nm at a cumulative electron dose of 4.2×10⁸ e⁻/nm². Incontrast, the crystal part size in the nc-OS film and the CAAC-OS filmshows little change from the start of electron irradiation to acumulative electron dose of 4.2×10⁸ e⁻/nm². Specifically, as shown by(2) and (3) in FIG. 16, the average crystal sizes in an nc-OS film and aCAAC-OS film are approximately 1.4 nm and approximately 2.1 nm,respectively, regardless of the cumulative electron dose.

In this manner, growth of the crystal part in the a-like OS film isinduced by electron irradiation. In contrast, in the nc-OS film and theCAAC-OS film, growth of the crystal part is hardly induced by electronirradiation. Therefore, the a-like OS film has an unstable structure ascompared with the nc-OS film and the CAAC-OS film.

The a-like OS film has a lower density than the nc-OS film and theCAAC-OS film because it includes a void. Specifically, the density ofthe a-like OS film is higher than or equal to 78.6% and lower than 92.3%of the density of the single crystal oxide semiconductor film having thesame composition. The density of each of the nc-OS film and the CAAC-OSfilm is higher than or equal to 92.3% and lower than 100% of the densityof the single crystal oxide semiconductor film having the samecomposition. Note that it is difficult to deposit an oxide semiconductorfilm having a density of lower than 78% of the density of the singlecrystal oxide semiconductor film.

For example, in the case of an oxide semiconductor film having an atomicratio of In:Ga:Zn=1:1:1, the density of single crystal InGaZnO₄ with arhombohedral crystal structure is 6.357 g/cm³. Accordingly, in the caseof the oxide semiconductor film having an atomic ratio ofIn:Ga:Zn=1:1:1, the density of the a-like OS film is higher than orequal to 5.0 g/cm³ and lower than 5.9 g/cm³. For example, in the case ofthe oxide semiconductor having an atomic ratio of In:Ga:Zn=1:1:1, thedensity of each of the nc-OS film and the CAAC-OS film is higher than orequal to 5.9 g/cm³ and lower than 6.3 g/cm³.

Note that there is a possibility that an oxide semiconductor having acertain composition cannot exist in a single crystal structure. In thatcase, single crystal oxide semiconductors with different compositionsare combined at an adequate ratio, which makes it possible to calculatethe density equivalent to that of a single crystal oxide semiconductorwith the desired composition. The density of a single crystal oxidesemiconductor having the desired composition can be calculated using aweighted average according to the combination ratio of the singlecrystal oxide semiconductors with different compositions. Note that itis preferable to use as few kinds of single crystal oxide semiconductorsas possible to calculate the density.

As described above, oxide semiconductor films have various structuresand various properties. Note that an oxide semiconductor film may be astacked film including two or more films of an amorphous oxidesemiconductor film, an a-like OS film, a microcrystalline oxidesemiconductor film, and a CAAC-OS film, for example.

<Deposition Model>

Examples of deposition models of a CAAC-OS film and an nc-OS film aredescribed below.

FIG. 17A is a schematic view of the inside of a deposition chamber wherea CAAC-OS film is deposited by a sputtering method.

A target 5130 is attached to a backing plate. A plurality of magnets areprovided to face the target 5130 with the backing plate positionedtherebetween. The plurality of magnets generate a magnetic field. Asputtering method in which the disposition rate is increased byutilizing a magnetic field of magnets is referred to as a magnetronsputtering method.

The substrate 5120 is placed to face the target 5130, and the distance d(also referred to as a target-substrate distance (T-S distance)) isgreater than or equal to 0.01 m and less than or equal to 1 m,preferably greater than or equal to 0.02 m and less than or equal to 0.5m. The deposition chamber is mostly filled with a deposition gas (e.g.,an oxygen gas, an argon gas, or a mixed gas containing oxygen at 5 vol %or higher) and the pressure in the deposition chamber is controlled tobe higher than or equal to 0.01 Pa and lower than or equal to 100 Pa,preferably higher than or equal to 0.1 Pa and lower than or equal to 10Pa. Here, discharge starts by application of a voltage at a certainvalue or higher to the target 5130, and plasma is observed. The magneticfield forms a high-density plasma region in the vicinity of the target5130. In the high-density plasma region, the deposition gas is ionized,so that an ion 5101 is generated. Examples of the ion 5101 include anoxygen cation (O⁺) and an argon cation (Ar⁺).

Here, the target 5130 has a polycrystalline structure which includes aplurality of crystal grains and in which a cleavage plane exists in atleast one crystal grain. FIG. 18A shows a structure of an InGaZnO₄crystal included in the target 5130 as an example. Note that FIG. 18Ashows a structure of the case where the InGaZnO₄ crystal is observedfrom a direction parallel to the b-axis. FIG. 18A indicates that oxygenatoms in a Ga—Zn—O layer are positioned close to those in an adjacentGa—Zn—O layer. The oxygen atoms have negative charge, whereby repulsiveforce is generated between the two adjacent Ga—Zn—O layers. As a result,the InGaZnO₄ crystal has a cleavage plane between the two adjacentGa—Zn—O layers.

The ion 5101 generated in the high-density plasma region is acceleratedtoward the target 5130 side by an electric field, and then collides withthe target 5130. At this time, a pellet 5100 a and a pellet 5100 b whichare flat-plate-like (pellet-like) sputtered particles are separated andsputtered from the cleavage plane. Note that structures of the pellet5100 a and the pellet 5100 b may be distorted by an impact of collisionof the ion 5101.

The pellet 5100 a is a flat-plate-like (pellet-like) sputtered particlehaving a triangle plane, e.g., regular triangle plane. The pellet 5100 bis a flat-plate-like (pellet-like) sputtered particle having a hexagonplane, e.g., regular hexagon plane. Note that flat-plate-like(pellet-like) sputtered particles such as the pellet 5100 a and thepellet 5100 b are collectively called pellets 5100. The shape of a flatplane of the pellet 5100 is not limited to a triangle or a hexagon. Forexample, the flat plane may have a shape formed by combining two or moretriangles. For example, a quadrangle (e.g., rhombus) may be formed bycombining two triangles (e.g., regular triangles).

The thickness of the pellet 5100 is determined depending on the kind ofdeposition gas and the like. The thicknesses of the pellets 5100 arepreferably uniform; the reason for this is described later. In addition,the sputtered particle preferably has a pellet shape with a smallthickness rather than a dice shape with a large thickness. For example,the thickness of the pellet 5100 is greater than or equal to 0.4 nm andless than or equal to 1 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 0.6 nmand less than or equal to 0.8 nm. In addition, for example, the width ofthe pellet 5100 is greater than or equal to 1 nm and less than or equalto 3 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 1.2 nm and less than orequal to 2.5 nm. The pellet 5100 corresponds to the initial nucleus inthe description of (1) in FIG. 16. For example, when the ion 5101collides with the target 5130 including an In—Ga—Zn oxide, the pellet5100 that includes three layers of a Ga—Zn—O layer, an In—O layer, and aGa—Zn—O layer as shown in FIG. 18B is separated. Note that FIG. 18Cshows the structure of the separated pellet 5100 which is observed froma direction parallel to the c-axis. The pellet 5100 has ananometer-sized sandwich structure including two Ga—Zn—O layers (piecesof bread) and an In—O layer (filling).

The pellet 5100 may receive a charge when passing through the plasma, sothat side surfaces thereof are negatively or positively charged. In thepellet 5100, for example, an oxygen atom positioned on its side surfacemay be negatively charged. When the side surfaces are charged with thesame polarity, charges repel each other, and accordingly, the pellet5100 can maintain a flat-plate (pellet) shape. In the case where aCAAC-OS film is an In—Ga—Zn oxide, there is a possibility that an oxygenatom bonded to an indium atom is negatively charged. There is anotherpossibility that an oxygen atom bonded to an indium atom, a galliumatom, or a zinc atom is negatively charged. In addition, the pellet 5100may grow by being bonded with an indium atom, a gallium atom, a zincatom, an oxygen atom, or the like when passing through plasma. Adifference in the size between (2) and (1) in FIG. 16 corresponds to theamount of growth in plasma. Here, in the case where the temperature ofthe substrate 5120 is at around room temperature, the pellet 5100 on thesubstrate 5120 hardly grows; thus, an nc-OS film is formed (see FIG.17B). An nc-OS film can be deposited when the substrate 5120 has a largesize because the deposition of an nc-OS can be carried out at roomtemperature. Note that in order that the pellet 5100 grows in plasma, itis effective to increase deposition power in sputtering. High depositionpower can stabilize the structure of the pellet 5100.

As shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the pellet 5100 flies like a kite inplasma and flutters up to the substrate 5120. Since the pellets 5100 arecharged, when the pellet 5100 gets close to a region where anotherpellet 5100 has already been deposited, repulsion is generated. Here,above the substrate 5120, a magnetic field in a direction parallel tothe top surface of the substrate 5120 (also referred to as a horizontalmagnetic field) is generated. A potential difference is given betweenthe substrate 5120 and the target 5130, and accordingly, current flowsfrom the substrate 5120 toward the target 5130. Thus, the pellet 5100 isgiven a force (Lorentz force) on the top surface of the substrate 5120by an effect of the magnetic field and the current. This is explainablewith Fleming's left-hand rule.

The mass of the pellet 5100 is larger than that of an atom. Therefore,to move the pellet 5100 over the top surface of the substrate 5200, itis important to apply some force to the pellet 5100 from the outside.One kind of the force may be force which is generated by the action of amagnetic field and current. In order to apply a sufficient force to thepellet 5100 so that the pellet 5100 moves over a top surface of thesubstrate 5120, it is preferable to provide, on the top surface, aregion where the magnetic field in a direction parallel to the topsurface of the substrate 5120 is 10 G or higher, preferably 20 G orhigher, more preferably 30 G or higher, and still more preferably 50 Gor higher. Alternatively, it is preferable to provide, on the topsurface, a region where the magnetic field in a direction parallel tothe top surface of the substrate 5120 is 1.5 times or more, preferablytwice or more, more preferably 3 times or more, and still morepreferably 5 times or more as high as the magnetic field in a directionperpendicular to the top surface of the substrate 5120.

At this time, the magnets and the substrate 5120 are moved or rotatedrelatively, whereby the direction of the horizontal magnetic field onthe top surface of the substrate 5120 continues to change. Therefore,the pellet 5100 can be moved in various directions on the top surface ofthe substrate 5120 by receiving forces in various directions.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 17A, when the substrate 5120 is heated,the resistance between the pellet 5100 and the substrate 5120 due tofriction or the like is low. As a result, the pellet 5100 glides abovethe top surface of the substrate 5120. The glide of the pellet 5100 iscaused in a state where its flat plane faces the substrate 5120. Then,when the pellet 5100 reaches the side surface of another pellet 5100that has been already deposited, the side surfaces of the pellets 5100are bonded. At this time, the oxygen atom on the side surface of thepellet 5100 is released. With the released oxygen atom, oxygen vacanciesin a CAAC-OS film might be filled; thus, the CAAC-OS film has a lowdensity of defect states. Note that the temperature of the top surfaceof the substrate 5120 is, for example, higher than or equal to 100° C.and lower than 500° C., higher than or equal to 150° C. and lower than450° C., or higher than or equal to 170° C. and lower than 400° C.Hence, even when the substrate 5120 has a large size, it is possible todeposit a CAAC-OS film.

Furthermore, the pellet 5100 is heated on the substrate 5120, wherebyatoms are rearranged, and the structure distortion caused by thecollision of the ion 5101 can be reduced. The pellet 5100 whosestructure distortion is reduced is substantially single crystal. Evenwhen the pellets 5100 are heated after being bonded, expansion andcontraction of the pellet 5100 itself hardly occur because the pellet5100 is substantially single crystal. Thus, formation of defects such asa grain boundary due to expansion of a space between the pellets 5100can be prevented, and accordingly, generation of crevasses can beprevented.

The CAAC-OS film does not have a structure like a board of a singlecrystal oxide semiconductor film but has arrangement with a group ofpellets 5100 (nanocrystals) like stacked bricks or blocks. Furthermore,a grain boundary does not exist between the pellets 5100. Therefore,even when deformation such as shrink occurs in the CAAC-OS film owing toheating during deposition, or heating or bending after deposition, it ispossible to relieve local stress or release distortion. Therefore, thisstructure is suitable for a flexible semiconductor device. Note that thenc-OS film has arrangement in which pellets 5100 (nanocrystals) arerandomly stacked.

When the target 5130 is sputtered with the ion 5101, in addition to thepellets 5100, zinc oxide or the like may be separated. The zinc oxide islighter than the pellet 5100 and thus reaches the top surface of thesubstrate 5120 before the pellet 5100. As a result, the zinc oxide formsa zinc oxide layer 5102 with a thickness greater than or equal to 0.1 nmand less than or equal to 10 nm, greater than or equal to 0.2 nm andless than or equal to 5 nm, or greater than or equal to 0.5 nm and lessthan or equal to 2 nm. FIGS. 19A to 19D are cross-sectional schematicviews.

As illustrated in FIG. 19A, a pellet 5105 a and a pellet 5105 b aredeposited over the zinc oxide layer 5102. Here, side surfaces of thepellet 5105 a and the pellet 5105 b are in contact with each other. Inaddition, a pellet 5105 c is deposited over the pellet 5105 b, and thenglides over the pellet 5105 b. Furthermore, a plurality of particles5103 separated from the target together with the zinc oxide arecrystallized by heat from the substrate 5120 to form a region 5105 a 1on another side surface of the pellet 5105 a. Note that the plurality ofparticles 5103 may contain oxygen, zinc, indium, gallium, or the like.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 19B, the region 5105 a 1 grows to part ofthe pellet 5105 a to form a pellet 5105 a 2. In addition, a side surfaceof the pellet 5105 c is in contact with another side surface of thepellet 5105 b.

Next, as illustrated in FIG. 19C, a pellet 5105 d is deposited over thepellet 5105 a 2 and the pellet 5105 b, and then glides over the pellet5105 a 2 and the pellet 5105 b. Furthermore, a pellet 5105 e glidestoward another side surface of the pellet 5105 c over the zinc oxidelayer 5102.

Then, as illustrated in FIG. 19D, the pellet 5105 d is placed so that aside surface of the pellet 5105 d is in contact with a side surface ofthe pellet 5105 a 2. Furthermore, a side surface of the pellet 5105 e isin contact with another side surface of the pellet 5105 c. A pluralityof particles 5103 separated from the target 5130 together with zincoxide are crystallized by heat from the substrate 5120 to form a region5105 d 1 on another side surface of the pellet 5105 d.

As described above, deposited pellets are placed to be in contact witheach other and then crystal growth is caused at side surfaces of thepellets, whereby a CAAC-OS film is formed over the substrate 5120.Therefore, each pellet of the CAAC-OS film is larger than that of thenc-OS film. A difference in the size between (3) and (2) in FIG. 16corresponds to the amount of growth after deposition.

When spaces between pellets are extremely small, the pellets may form alarge pellet. The large pellet has a single crystal structure. Forexample, the size of the pellet may be greater than or equal to 10 nmand less than or equal to 200 nm, greater than or equal to 15 nm andless than or equal to 100 nm, or greater than or equal to 20 nm and lessthan or equal to 50 nm, when seen from the above. In this case, in anoxide semiconductor layer used for a minute transistor, a channelformation region might be fit inside the large pellet. That is, theregion having a single crystal structure can be used as the channelformation region. Furthermore, when the size of the pellet is increased,the region having a single crystal structure can be used as the channelformation region, the source region, and the drain region of thetransistor.

In this manner, when the channel formation region or the like of thetransistor is formed in a region having a single crystal structure, thefrequency characteristics of the transistor can be increased in somecases.

As shown in such a model, the pellets 5100 are considered to bedeposited on the substrate 5120. Thus, a CAAC-OS film can be depositedeven when a formation surface does not have a crystal structure;therefore, a growth mechanism in this case is different from epitaxialgrowth. In addition, laser crystallization is not needed for formationof a CAAC-OS film, and a uniform film can be formed even over alarge-sized glass substrate or the like. For example, even when the topsurface (formation surface) of the substrate 5120 has an amorphousstructure (e.g., the top surface is formed of amorphous silicon oxide),a CAAC-OS film can be formed.

In addition, it is found that in formation of the CAAC-OS film, thepellets 5100 are arranged in accordance with the top surface shape ofthe substrate 5120 that is the formation surface even when the formationsurface has unevenness. For example, in the case where the top surfaceof the substrate 5120 is flat at the atomic level, the pellets 5100 arearranged so that flat planes parallel to the a-b plane face downwards.In the case where the thickness of the pellets 5100 are uniform, a layerwith a uniform thickness, flatness, and high crystallinity is formed. Bystacking n layers (n is a natural number), the CAAC-OS can be obtained.

In the case where the top surface of the substrate 5120 has unevenness,a CAAC-OS film to be formed has a structure in which n layers (n is anatural number) in each of which the pellets 5100 are arranged along theunevenness are stacked. Since the substrate 5120 has unevenness, a gapis easily generated between the pellets 5100 in the CAAC-OS film in somecases. Note that, even in such a case, owing to intermolecular force,the pellets 5100 are arranged so that a gap between the pellets is assmall as possible even on the unevenness surface. Therefore, even whenthe formation surface has unevenness, a CAAC-OS film with highcrystallinity can be obtained.

Since a CAAC-OS film is deposited in accordance with such a model, thesputtered particle preferably has a pellet shape with a small thickness.Note that when the sputtered particles have a dice shape with a largethickness, planes facing the substrate 5120 vary; thus, the thicknessesand orientations of the crystals cannot be uniform in some cases.

According to the deposition model described above, a CAAC-OS film withhigh crystallinity can be formed even on a formation surface with anamorphous structure.

Here, the case where the oxide semiconductor has a three-layer structureis described with reference to FIG. 1C.

For an oxide semiconductor film 206 b (middle layer), the description ofthe above-described oxide semiconductor can be referred to. An oxidesemiconductor film 206 a (bottom layer) and an oxide semiconductor film206 c (top layer) include one or more elements other than oxygenincluded in the oxide semiconductor film 206 b. Since the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c eachinclude one or more elements other than oxygen included in the oxidesemiconductor film 206 b, an interface state is less likely to be formedat the interface between the oxide semiconductor film 206 a and theoxide semiconductor film 206 b and the interface between the oxidesemiconductor film 206 b and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c.

In the case of using an In-M-Zn oxide as the oxide semiconductor film206 a, when Zn and O are not taken into consideration, the proportionsof In and M are preferably set to be less than 50 atomic % and greaterthan or equal to 50 atomic %, respectively, more preferably less than 25atomic % and greater than or equal to 75 atomic %, respectively. In thecase of using an In-M-Zn oxide as the oxide semiconductor film 206 b,when Zn and O are not taken into consideration, the proportions of Inand M are preferably set to be greater than or equal to 25 atomic % andless than 75 atomic %, respectively, more preferably greater than orequal to 34 atomic % and less than 66 atomic %, respectively. In thecase of using an In-M-Zn oxide as the oxide semiconductor film 206 c,when Zn and O are not taken into consideration, the proportions of Inand M are preferably set to be less than 50 atomic % and greater than orequal to 50 atomic %, respectively, more preferably less than 25 atomic% and greater than or equal to 75 atomic %, respectively. Note that theoxide semiconductor film 206 c may be formed using the same kind ofoxide as that of the oxide semiconductor film 206 a.

Here, in some cases, there is a mixed region of the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 a and the oxide semiconductor film 206 b between the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a and the oxide semiconductor film 206 b.Furthermore, in some cases, there is a mixed region of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 b and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c betweenthe oxide semiconductor film 206 b and the oxide semiconductor film 206c. The mixed region has a low interface state density. For that reason,the stack of the oxide semiconductor film 206 a, the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c has a band structurewhere energy at each interface and in the vicinity of the interface ischanged continuously (continuous junction).

Here, the band structure is described. For easy understanding, the bandstructure is illustrated with the energy (Ec) at the bottom of theconduction band of each of the insulating film 172, the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a, the oxide semiconductor film 206 b, the oxidesemiconductor film 206 c, and the gate insulating film 212.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the energy at the bottom of theconduction band changes continuously in the oxide semiconductor film 206a, the oxide semiconductor film 206 b, and the oxide semiconductor film206 c. This can be understood also from the fact that the constituentelements are common among the oxide semiconductor film 206 a, the oxidesemiconductor film 206 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c andoxygen easily diffuses among the oxide semiconductor film 206 a, theoxide semiconductor film 206 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c.Thus, the oxide semiconductor film 206 a, the oxide semiconductor film206 b, and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c have a continuous physicalproperty although they are a stack of films having differentcompositions.

The oxide semiconductor films, which contain the same main componentsand are stacked, are not simply stacked but are formed to havecontinuous junction (here, particularly a U-shaped well structure wherethe energy at the bottom of the conduction band is continuously changedbetween the layers. In other words, a stacked-layer structure is formedsuch that there exist no impurities that form a defect level such as atrap center or a recombination center at each interface. If impuritiesexist between the stacked layers in the multilayer film, the continuityof the energy band is lost and carriers disappear by a trap orrecombination.

Note that FIG. 9A illustrates the case where the Ec of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a and the Ec of the oxide semiconductor film 206c are equal to each other; however, they may be different from eachother. For example, part of the band structure in the case where the Ecof the oxide semiconductor film 206 c is higher than the Ec of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a is illustrated in FIG. 9B.

As illustrated in FIGS. 9A and 9B, the oxide semiconductor film 206 bserves as a well and a channel of the transistor 200 is formed in theoxide semiconductor film 206 b. Note that since the energies at thebottoms of the conduction bands are changed continuously, the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a, the oxide semiconductor film 206 b, and theoxide semiconductor film 206 c can also be referred to as a U-shapedwell. A channel formed to have such a structure can also be referred toas a buried channel.

Note that trap states caused by impurities or defects might be formed inthe vicinity of the interface between an insulating film such as asilicon oxide film and each of the oxide semiconductor film 206 a andthe oxide semiconductor film 206 c. The oxide semiconductor film 206 bcan be distanced away from the trap states owing to the existence of theoxide semiconductor film 206 a and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c.However, when the energy difference between the Ec of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a or the oxide semiconductor film 206 c and theEc of the oxide semiconductor film 206 b is small, electrons in theoxide semiconductor film 206 b might reach the trap states across theenergy difference. When electrons to be negative charge are captured bythe trap states, a negative charge is generated at the interface withthe insulating film, whereby the threshold voltage of the transistor isshifted in the positive direction.

Thus, to reduce a change in the threshold voltage of the transistor, anenergy difference between the Ec of the oxide semiconductor film 206 band the Ec of each of the oxide semiconductor films 206 a and 206 c isnecessary. The energy difference is preferably greater than or equal to0.1 eV, more preferably greater than or equal to 0.15 eV.

The oxide semiconductor films 206 a, 206 b, and 206 c preferably includecrystal parts. In particular, when a crystal in which c-axes are alignedis used, the transistor can have stable electrical characteristics.

In the band structure illustrated in FIG. 9B, instead of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 c, an In—Ga oxide (e.g., with an atomic ratio ofIn:Ga=7:93) may be provided between the oxide semiconductor film 206 band the gate insulating film 212.

For the oxide semiconductor film 206 b, an oxide having an electronaffinity higher than that of each of the oxide semiconductor films 206 aand 206 c is used. For example, for the oxide semiconductor film 206 b,an oxide having an electron affinity higher than that of each of theoxide semiconductor films 206 a and 206 c by 0.07 eV or higher and 1.3eV or lower, preferably 0.1 eV or higher and 0.7 eV or lower, and morepreferably 0.15 eV or higher and 0.4 eV or lower is used. Note that theelectron affinity refers to an energy difference between the vacuumlevel and the bottom of the conduction band.

When In—Ga—Zn oxide is used the oxide semiconductor films 206 a and 206c, a material whose atomic ratio of In to Ga and Zn is any of 1:1:1,2:2:1, 3:1:2, 1:3:2, 1:3:4, 1:4:3, 1:5:4, 1:6:6, 2:1:3 1:6:4, 1:9:6,1:1:4, and 1:1:2 is used so that the oxide semiconductor film 206 a andthe oxide semiconductor film 206 c each have an electron affinity lowerthan that of the oxide semiconductor film 206 b.

At this time, when an electric field is applied to the gate electrode, achannel is formed in the oxide semiconductor film 206 b having thehighest electron affinity in the oxide semiconductor films 206 a and 206c.

Moreover, the thickness of the oxide semiconductor film 206 c ispreferably as small as possible to increase the on-state current of thetransistor. The thickness of the oxide semiconductor film 206 c is setto be less than 10 nm, preferably less than or equal to 5 nm, and morepreferably less than or equal to 3 nm, for example. Meanwhile, the oxidesemiconductor film 206 c has a function of blocking elements other thanoxygen (such as silicon) included in the adjacent insulating film fromentering the oxide semiconductor film 206 b where a channel is formed.For this reason, it is preferable that the oxide semiconductor film 206c have a certain thickness. The thickness of the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 c is set to be greater than or equal to 0.3 nm, preferablygreater than or equal to 1 nm, and more preferably greater than or equalto 2 nm, for example.

To improve reliability, preferably, the thickness of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a is large and the thickness of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 c is small. Specifically, the thickness of theoxide semiconductor film 206 a is set to be greater than or equal to 20nm, preferably greater than or equal to 30 nm, more preferably greaterthan or equal to 40 nm, and still more preferably greater than or equalto 60 nm. With the oxide semiconductor film 206 a having a thicknessgreater than or equal to 20 nm, preferably greater than or equal to 30nm, more preferably greater than or equal to 40 nm, and still morepreferably greater than or equal to 60 nm, the distance from theinterface between the adjacent insulating film and the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a to the oxide semiconductor film 206 b where thechannel is formed can be greater than or equal to 20 nm, preferablygreater than or equal to 30 nm, more preferably greater than or equal to40 nm, and still more preferably greater than or equal to 60 nm. Notethat since the productivity of a semiconductor device might be reduced,the thickness of the oxide semiconductor film 206 a is set to be lessthan or equal to 200 nm, preferably less than or equal to 120 nm, andmore preferably less than or equal to 80 nm.

For example, the concentration of silicon in a region between the oxidesemiconductor film 206 b and the oxide semiconductor film 206 a measuredby SIMS is set to be lower than 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, and more preferably lower than 2×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³. Theconcentration of silicon in a region between the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 b and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c measured by SIMS isset to be lower than 1×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than 5×10¹⁸atoms/cm³, and more preferably lower than 2×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.

It is preferable to reduce the concentration of hydrogen in the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c in orderto reduce the concentration of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor film206 b. The concentration of hydrogen in the oxide semiconductor film 206a and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c measured by SIMS is set to belower than or equal to 2×10²⁰ atoms/cm³, preferably lower than or equalto 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, more preferably lower than or equal to 1×10¹⁹atoms/cm³, and still more preferably lower than or equal to 5×10¹⁸atoms/cm³. It is preferable to reduce the concentration of nitrogen inthe oxide semiconductor film 206 a and the oxide semiconductor film 206c in order to reduce the concentration of nitrogen in the oxidesemiconductor film 206 b. The concentration of nitrogen in the oxidesemiconductor film 206 a and the oxide semiconductor film 206 c measuredby SIMS is set to be lower than 5×10¹⁹ atoms/cm³, preferably lower thanor equal to 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, more preferably lower than or equal to1×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³, and still more preferably lower than or equal to5×10¹⁷ atoms/cm³.

The above three-layer structure is an example. For example, a two-layerstructure without the oxide semiconductor film 206 a or the oxidesemiconductor film 206 c may be employed.

As illustrated in FIG. 2A, an oxide semiconductor film 215 may beprovided between the oxide semiconductor film 206 and the gateinsulating film 212. In other words, the oxide semiconductor film 215includes a region in contact with the top and side surfaces of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 in the channel width direction. The oxidesemiconductor film 215 includes the region in contact with the sidesurface of the oxide semiconductor film 206, whereby the side surface ofthe oxide semiconductor film 206 can be protected. In this case, theinterface state density in the side surface of the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 can be decreased compared to the case where the oxidesemiconductor film 215 is not provided. Accordingly, with the oxidesemiconductor film 215, variation in the electrical characteristics ofthe transistor can be suppressed, so that the semiconductor device canbe highly reliable. Description of the oxide semiconductor film 206 c isreferred to for the oxide semiconductor film 215.

The conductive films 216 a and 216 b may each be formed to have asingle-layer structure or a stacked-layer structure using a conductivefilm containing one or more kinds of aluminum, titanium, chromium,cobalt, nickel, copper, yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, ruthenium,silver, tantalum, and tungsten, for example.

A conductive film to be the conductive films 216 a and 216 b may beformed by a sputtering method, a CVD method, an MBE method, a PLDmethod, an ALD method, or the like.

The conductive film 216 a and the conductive film 216 b are formed insuch a manner that the conductive film to be the conductive films 216 aand 216 b is formed and then partly etched. Therefore, it is preferableto employ a formation method by which the oxide semiconductor film 206is not damaged when the conductive film is formed. In other words, theconductive film is preferably formed by an MCVD method or the like.

Note that in the case where the conductive films 216 a and 216 b areeach formed to have a stacked-layer structure, layers in thestacked-layer film may be formed by different formation methods such asa CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVD method,an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, and an ALDmethod. For example, the first layer may be formed by an MOCVD methodand the second layer may be formed by a sputtering method.Alternatively, the first layer may be formed by an ALD method and thesecond layer may be formed by an MOCVD method. Alternatively, the firstlayer may be formed by an ALD method and the second layer may be formedby a sputtering method. Alternatively, the first layer may be formed byan ALD method, the second layer may be formed by a sputtering method,and the third layer may be formed by an ALD method. By thus usingdifferent formation methods, the films can have different functions ordifferent properties. Then, by stacking the films, a more appropriatefilm can be formed as a stacked-layer film.

In other words, in the case where the conductive films 216 a and 216 bare each a stacked-layer film, for example, an n-th film is formed by atleast one of a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, anMCVD method, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method,an ALD method, and the like and an (n+1)th film is formed by at leastone of a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVDmethod, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, anALD method, and the like (n is a natural number). The n-th film and the(n+1)th film may be formed by different formation methods. Note that then-th film and an (n+2)th film may be formed by the same formationmethod. Alternatively, all the films may be formed by the same formationmethod.

Note that the conductive film 216 a (216 b) or at least one film in thestacked conductive film 216 a (216 b), and the oxide semiconductor film206 or at least one film in the stacked oxide semiconductor film 206 maybe formed by the same formation method. For example, both of them may beformed by an ALD method. As a result, they can be formed withoutexposure to the air, and entry of impurities can therefore be prevented.Alternatively, for example, the conductive film 216 a (216 b) in contactwith the oxide semiconductor film 206 and the oxide semiconductor film206 in contact with the conductive film 216 a (216 b) may be formed bythe same formation method. As a result, the formation can be performedin the same chamber, and entry of impurities can therefore be prevented.As described above, the same formation method may be employed in notonly for the oxide semiconductor film 206 and the conductive film 216 a(216 b) but also for other films that are adjacent to each other. Notethat the method for manufacturing a semiconductor device of oneembodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.

Note that the conductive film 216 a (216 b) or at least one film in thestacked conductive film 216 a (216 b), the oxide semiconductor film 206or at least one film in the stacked oxide semiconductor film 206, andthe insulating film 172 or at least one film in the stacked insulatingfilm 172 may be formed by the same formation method. For example, all ofthem may be formed by an ALD method. As a result, they can be formedwithout exposure to the air, and entry of impurities can therefore beprevented. Note that the method for manufacturing a semiconductor deviceof one embodiment of the present invention is not limited thereto.

The gate insulating film 212 may be formed of, for example, a singlelayer or a stack of an insulating film containing aluminum oxide,magnesium oxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitrideoxide, silicon nitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide,zirconium oxide, lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, ortantalum oxide.

Note that in the case where the gate insulating film 212 is formed tohave a stacked-layer structure, films in the stacked structure may beformed by different formation methods such as a CVD method (a plasma CVDmethod, a thermal CVD method, an MCVD method, an MOCVD method, or thelike), an MBE method, a PLD method, and an ALD method. For example, thefirst layer may be formed by an MOCVD method and the second layer may beformed by a sputtering method. Alternatively, the first layer may beformed by an ALD method and the second layer may be formed by an MOCVDmethod. Alternatively, the first layer may be formed by an ALD methodand the second layer may be formed by a sputtering method.Alternatively, the first layer may be formed by an ALD method, thesecond layer may be formed by a sputtering method, and the third layermay be formed by an ALD method. By thus using different formationmethods, the films can have different functions or different properties.Then, by stacking the films, a more appropriate film can be formed as astacked-layer film.

In other words, in the case where the gate insulating film 212 is astacked-layer film, for example, an n-th film is formed by at least oneof a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVDmethod, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, anALD method, and the like and an (n+1)th film is formed by at least oneof a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVDmethod, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, anALD method, and the like (n is a natural number). The n-th film and the(n+1)th film may be formed by different formation methods. Note that then-th film and an (n+2)th film may be formed by the same formationmethod. Alternatively, all the films may be formed by the same formationmethod.

Note that the gate insulating film 212 or at least one film in thestacked gate insulating film 212, and the conductive film 216 a (216 b)or at least one film in the stacked conductive film 216 a (216 b) may beformed by the same formation method. For example, both of them may beformed by an ALD method. As a result, they can be formed withoutexposure to the air, and entry of impurities can therefore be prevented.Alternatively, for example, the conductive film 216 a (216 b) in contactwith the gate insulating film 212 and the gate insulating film 212 incontact with the conductive film 216 a (216 b) may be formed by the sameformation method. As a result, the formation can be performed in thesame chamber, and entry of impurities can therefore be prevented.

Note that the gate insulating film 212 or at least one film in thestacked gate insulating film 212, the conductive film 216 a (216 b) orat least one film in the stacked conductive film 216 a (216 b), theoxide semiconductor film 206 or at least one film in the stacked oxidesemiconductor film 206, and the insulating film 172 or at least one filmin the stacked insulating film 172 may be formed by the same formationmethod. For example, all of them may be formed by an ALD method. As aresult, they can be formed without exposure to the air, and entry ofimpurities can therefore be prevented. Note that the method formanufacturing a semiconductor device of one embodiment of the presentinvention is not limited thereto.

An example of a stacked-layer structure of the gate insulating film 212will be described. The gate insulating film 212 includes, for example,oxygen, nitrogen, silicon, or hafnium. Specifically, the gate insulatingfilm 212 preferably includes hafnium oxide and silicon oxide or siliconoxynitride.

Hafnium oxide has higher dielectric constant than silicon oxide andsilicon oxynitride. Therefore, by using hafnium oxide, a physicalthickness can be made larger than an equivalent oxide thickness; thus,even in the case where the equivalent oxide thickness is less than orequal to 10 nm or less than or equal to 5 nm, leakage current due totunnel current can be low. That is, it is possible to provide atransistor with a low off-state current. Moreover, hafnium oxide with acrystalline structure has higher dielectric constant than hafnium oxidewith an amorphous structure. Therefore, it is preferable to use hafniumoxide with a crystalline structure in order to obtain a transistor witha low off-state current. Examples of the crystalline structure include amonoclinic crystal structure, a tetragonal crystal structure, and acubic crystal structure. Note that one embodiment of the presentinvention is not limited to the above examples.

A surface over which the hafnium oxide having a crystal structure isformed might have interface states due to defects. The interface statesmight function as trap centers. Therefore, in the case where the hafniumoxide is provided close to the channel region of the transistor, theelectrical characteristics of the transistor might deteriorate owing tothe interface states. Thus, to reduce the influence of the interfacestates, it is in some cases preferable to provide another layer betweenthe channel region and the hafnium oxide in the transistor so that thechannel region and the hafnium oxide are apart from each other. Thelayer has a buffering function. The layer having a buffering functionmay be included in the gate insulating film 212 or may be included inthe oxide semiconductor film 206. In other words, silicon oxide, siliconoxynitride, an oxide semiconductor, or the like can be used for thelayer having a buffering function. For example, a semiconductor or aninsulator that has a larger energy gap than the semiconductor serving asthe channel region is used for the layer having a buffering function.Alternatively, for example, a semiconductor or an insulator that hassmaller electron affinity than the semiconductor serving as the channelregion is used for the layer having a buffering function. Furtheralternatively, for example, a semiconductor or an insulator havinglarger ionization energy than the semiconductor serving as the channelregion is used for the layer having a buffering function.

Meanwhile, charge is trapped by the interface states (trap centers) ofthe hafnium oxide having a crystal structure, whereby the thresholdvoltage of the transistor may be controlled. In order that the chargestably exists, for example, an insulator having a larger energy gap thanthe hafnium oxide is provided layer between the channel region and thehafnium oxide. Alternatively, a semiconductor or an insulator havingsmaller electron affinity than the hafnium oxide is provided. Furtheralternatively, a semiconductor or an insulator having larger ionizationenergy than the hafnium oxide is provided layer. Use of such asemiconductor or an insulator inhibits discharge of the charge trappedby the interface states, so that the charge can be retained for a longtime.

Examples of such an insulator include silicon oxide and siliconoxynitride. In order that the interface states in the gate insulatingfilm 212 capture charge, electrons need to be moved from the oxidesemiconductor film 206 to the conductive film 204 serving as the gateelectrode. For a specific example, the potential of the conductive film204 may be kept at a potential higher than the potential of theconductive films 216 a and 216 b functioning as source and drainelectrodes, for one second or longer, typically, one minute or longerunder a high temperature (e.g., higher than or equal to 125° C. andlower than or equal to 450° C., typically higher than or equal to 150°C. and lower than or equal to 300° C.).

In the transistor in which a desired amount of electrons is thuscaptured by the interface states of the gate insulating film 212 or thelike, the threshold voltage is shifted in the positive direction. Theamount of captured electrons (the amount of change in the thresholdvoltage) can be controlled by adjustment of the voltage of theconductive film 204 or the time for application of the voltage. Notethat the film for capturing charge is not necessarily provided in thegate insulating film 212 as long as it can capture charge. Astacked-layer film having a similar structure may be used for theinsulating film 172.

The conductive film 204 may be formed to have a single-layer structureor a stacked-layer structure using a conductive film containing one ormore kinds of aluminum, titanium, chromium, cobalt, nickel, copper,yttrium, zirconium, molybdenum, ruthenium, silver, tantalum, andtungsten, for example.

A conductive film to be the conductive film 204 may be formed by asputtering method, a CVD method, an MBE method, a PLD method, an ALDmethod, or the like. The conductive film 204 is preferably formed by aformation method by which the gate insulating film 212 is not damagedwhen the conductive film to be the conductive film 204 is formed. Inother words, the conductive film is preferably formed by an MCVD methodor the like.

Note that in the case where the conductive film 204 is formed to have astacked-layer structure, films in the stacked structure may be formed bydifferent formation methods such as a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, athermal CVD method, an MCVD method, an MOCVD method, or the like), anMBE method, a PLD method, and an ALD method. For example, the firstlayer may be formed by an MOCVD method and the second layer may beformed by a sputtering method. Alternatively, the first layer may beformed by an ALD method and the second layer may be formed by an MOCVDmethod. Alternatively, the first layer may be formed by an ALD methodand the second layer may be formed by a sputtering method.Alternatively, the first layer may be formed by an ALD method, thesecond layer may be formed by a sputtering method, and the third layermay be formed by an ALD method. By thus using different formationmethods, the films can have different functions or different properties.Then, by stacking the films, a more appropriate film can be formed as astacked-layer film.

In other words, in the case where the conductive film 204 is astacked-layer film, for example, an n-th film is formed by at least oneof a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVDmethod, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, anALD method, and the like and an (n+1)th film is formed by at least oneof a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVDmethod, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, anALD method, and the like (n is a natural number). The n-th film and the(n+1)th film may be formed by different formation methods. Note that then-th film and an (n+2)th film may be formed by the same formationmethod. Alternatively, all the films may be formed by the same formationmethod.

Note that the conductive film 204 or at least one film in the stackedconductive film 204, and the gate insulating film 212 or at least onefilm in the stacked gate insulating film 212 may be formed by the sameformation method. For example, both of them may be formed by an ALDmethod. As a result, they can be formed without exposure to the air, andentry of impurities can therefore be prevented. Alternatively, forexample, the conductive film 204 in contact with the gate insulatingfilm 212 and the gate insulating film 212 in contact with the conductivefilm 204 may be formed by the same formation method. As a result, theformation can be performed in the same chamber, and entry of impuritiescan therefore be prevented.

Note that the conductive film 204 or at least one film in the stackedconductive film 204, the gate insulating film 212 or at least one filmin the stacked gate insulating film 212, the conductive film 216 a (216b) or at least one film in the stacked conductive film 216 a (216 b),the oxide semiconductor film 206 or at least one film in the stackedoxide semiconductor film 206, and the insulating film 172 or at leastone film in the stacked insulating film 172 may be formed by the sameformation method. For example, all of them may be formed by an ALDmethod. As a result, they can be formed without exposure to the air, andentry of impurities can therefore be prevented. Note that the method formanufacturing a semiconductor device of one embodiment of the presentinvention is not limited thereto.

The barrier film 218 can be formed using a material and manufacturingmethod similar to those for the barrier film 171.

The insulating film 219 may be formed of, for example, a single layer ora stack of an insulating film containing aluminum oxide, magnesiumoxide, silicon oxide, silicon oxynitride, silicon nitride oxide, siliconnitride, gallium oxide, germanium oxide, yttrium oxide, zirconium oxide,lanthanum oxide, neodymium oxide, hafnium oxide, or tantalum oxide.Alternatively, a resin such as polyimide, acrylic, or silicone may beused.

Note that in the case where the insulating film 219 is a stacked-layerfilm, films in the stacked-layer film may be formed by differentformation methods such as a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermalCVD method, an MCVD method, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBEmethod, a PLD method, and an ALD method. For example, the first layermay be formed by an MOCVD method and the second layer may be formed by asputtering method. Alternatively, the first layer may be formed by anALD method and the second layer may be formed by an MOCVD method.Alternatively, the first layer may be formed by an ALD method and thesecond layer may be formed by a sputtering method. Alternatively, thefirst layer may be formed by an ALD method, the second layer may beformed by a sputtering method, and the third layer may be formed by anALD method. By thus using different formation methods, the films canhave different functions or different properties. Then, by stacking thefilms, a more appropriate film can be formed as a stacked-layer film.

In other words, in the case where the insulating film 219 is astacked-layer film, for example, an n-th film is formed by at least oneof a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVDmethod, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, anALD method, and the like and an (n+1)th film is formed by at least oneof a CVD method (a plasma CVD method, a thermal CVD method, an MCVDmethod, an MOCVD method, or the like), an MBE method, a PLD method, anALD method, and the like (n is a natural number). The n-th film and the(n+1)th film may be formed by different formation methods. Note that then-th film and an (n+2)th film may be formed by the same formationmethod. Alternatively, all the films may be formed by the same formationmethod.

Modification Example 1

FIG. 2B is a modification example of the semiconductor deviceillustrated in FIG. 1B.

Specifically, the semiconductor device in FIG. 2B is different from thatin FIG. 1B in the structure of the transistor 200.

The transistor 200 illustrated in FIG. 2B includes a conductive film 220which is provided in the step of forming conductive films serving aswirings between the transistor 100 and the transistor 200. The oxidesemiconductor film 206 is interposed between the conductive film 220 andthe conductive film 204 with insulating films therebetween. Theconductive film 220 serves as a second gate electrode of the transistor200. The conductive film 220 results in a further increase in on-statecurrent and a controlled threshold voltage. To increase the on-statecurrent, for example, the conductive film 204 and the conductive film220 are set to have the same potential, and the transistor is driven asa dual-gate transistor. Note that the conductive film 204 and theconductive film 220 may be electrically connected to each other to havethe same potential. To control the threshold voltage, different constantpotentials may be supplied to the conductive films 204 and 220.

Modification Example 2

The transistor 200 is not limited to the top-gate top-contact structure,and may be a top-gate bottom-contact transistor as illustrated in FIG.3A or a bottom-gate top-contact transistor as illustrated in FIG. 3B.

Modification Example 3

As illustrated in FIG. 4A, the number of insulating films and conductivefilms between the transistor 100 and the transistor 200 may be reduced.The semiconductor device illustrated in FIG. 4A does not include theconductive film 173, the conductive film formed in the same step as theconductive film 173, and the insulating film over the conductive filmwhich are illustrated in FIG. 1B.

Modification Example 4

The semiconductor device may have a structure illustrated in FIG. 5.Note that on the left side of a dashed-dotted line is a cross-sectionalview in the channel length direction (also referred to as a longitudinaldirection or a long-side direction) of the transistors 100 and 200, andon the right side of the dashed-dotted line is a cross-sectional view inthe channel width direction (also referred to as a lateral direction ora short-side direction) of the transistors 100 and 200.

The transistor 200 has the aforementioned s-channel structure. In thecross-sectional view in the channel width direction of the transistor200, the height (thickness) of the oxide semiconductor film 206 is 0.8times or more, preferably 1 times or more, more preferably 1.2 times ormore, and still more preferably 1.5 times or more the horizontal width(channel length) of the oxide semiconductor film 206. When the height ofthe oxide semiconductor film 206 is in the above range, the amount ofdrain current flowing in the side surface of the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 can be larger than the amount of drain current flowing in thetop surface of the oxide semiconductor film 206 at the time when thetransistor 200 is on. Therefore, the transistor 200 has a large on-statecurrent for the area occupied thereby. That is, the area occupied by thetransistor 200 can be small for required on-state current. Note that inthe cross-sectional view in the channel width direction of thetransistor 200, the horizontal width of the oxide semiconductor film 206is preferably smaller than or equal to 40 nm, more preferably smallerthan or equal to 30 nm, and still more preferably smaller than or equalto 20 nm.

The transistor 100 is also referred to as a FIN transistor because itutilizes a projection of the semiconductor substrate 150. Note that aninsulating film may be provided over the projection. The insulating filmserves as a mask for forming the projection.

Instead of the conductive films between the transistor 100 and thetransistor 200, a plug may be provided to fill the opening in theinsulating films as illustrated in FIG. 5. Although not illustrated, theconductive film 164 and the conductive film 216 a are electricallyconnected to each other through a conductive film extending in thechannel width direction.

Next, a method for manufacturing the transistor 100, the transistor 200,and the capacitor 250 which are illustrated in FIG. 4B will be describedwith reference to FIGS. 6A to 6C. Description here is made on theassumption that the transistor 100 uses a silicon-based semiconductormaterial and the transistor 200 uses an oxide semiconductor.

First, the transistor 100 is formed over the semiconductor substrate150. Next, the insulating film 170 is formed to cover the transistor100, and first heat treatment is performed (see FIG. 6A).

Hydrogen contained in the insulating film 170 transfers to thetransistor 100 by the first heat treatment, so that dangling bonds ofsilicon in the transistor 100 can be terminated. As a result, theelectrical characteristics of the transistor 100 can be improved.

Then, the conductive films 173 and 174 for electrically connecting thetransistors 100 and 200, the insulating films where the conductive films173 and 174 are embedded, and the insulating film 176 are formed overthe insulating film 170, and second heat treatment is performed (seeFIG. 6B).

The amount of hydrogen in the insulating film 170 is larger than thatneeded to terminate dangling bonds of silicon, so that hydrogen remainsin the insulating film (e.g., the insulating film 176) or the conductivefilm (e.g., the conductive film 173 or 174). The second heat treatmentis performed for dehydration or dehydrogenation in order to prevent theremaining hydrogen or water from transferring to the transistor 200including the oxide semiconductor film above the insulating film 170.The second heat treatment is preferably performed at as high atemperature as possible within the range that does not adversely affectthe heat resistance of the conductive films in the semiconductor deviceand the electrical characteristics of the transistor 100. Specifically,the second heat treatment is performed for less than or equal to 10hours at a temperature higher than or equal to 450° C. and lower than650° C., preferably higher than or equal to 490° C. and lower than 650°C., and more preferably higher than or equal to 530° C. and lower than650° C., or may be performed at a temperature higher than or equal to650° C. Note that the second heat treatment is preferably performed at atemperature lower than or equal to the temperature of the first heattreatment. This prevents the electrical characteristics of thetransistor 100 from being deteriorated by the second heat treatment. Inaddition, the second heat treatment is preferably performed for a longerperiod than the first heat treatment. This improves the electricalcharacteristics of the transistor 200 without deteriorating theelectrical characteristics of the transistor 100. Alternatively, thesecond heat treatment may be performed at a temperature higher than thetemperature of the first heat treatment. In that case, dehydrogenationor dehydration can be performed completely, resulting in a furtherimprovement of the electrical characteristics of the transistor 200. Thefirst heat treatment can be omitted when the second heat treatmentserves also as the first treatment.

The second heat treatment may be performed more than once. It ispreferable that the second heat treatment be performed with a metal filmor the like covered with an insulating film or the like.

Next, the barrier film 171 is formed over the insulating film 176 (seeFIG. 6C).

The barrier film 171 prevents hydrogen contained in the transistor 100and the insulating films and the conductive films above the transistor100 from being diffused to the transistor 200.

Then, the insulating film 172 and the oxide semiconductor film 206 areformed over the barrier film 171 (see FIG. 7A).

Subsequently, openings are formed in the insulating film 172, thebarrier film 171, and the insulating film 176 so as to reach conductivefilms electrically connected to the transistor 100. Then, the conductivefilm 216 a and the conductive film 216 b are formed. Through theopenings, the conductive film 216 a is in contact with a conductive filmelectrically connected to the gate electrode of the transistor 100, andthe conductive film 216 b is in contact with a conductive filmelectrically connected to the impurity region 166 serving as the sourceregion or the drain region of the transistor 100 (see FIG. 7B).

Note that the aforementioned second heat treatment may be performedbetween the formation of the openings in the insulating film 172, thebarrier film 171, and the insulating film 176 and the formation of theconductive films 216 a and 216 b.

Next, the gate insulating film 212 and the conductive film 204 areformed over the oxide semiconductor film 206 and the conductive films216 a and 216 b. At the same time, the insulating film 213 and theconductive film 205 are formed over the conductive film 216 a (see FIG.7C).

Note that as illustrated in FIG. 11A, the gate insulating film 212 isnot necessarily etched into an island shape. In that case, theinsulating film 213 is connected to the gate insulating film 212. FIG.11B illustrates an example of a completed device having the structureillustrated in FIG. 11A.

Through the above steps, the transistor 200 and the capacitor 250 can bemanufactured.

Then, the barrier film 218 and the insulating film 219 are formed tocover the transistor 200 and the capacitor 250 (see FIG. 8A).

Subsequently, openings are formed in the barrier film 218 and theinsulating film 219 so as to reach the transistor 200 and the capacitor250. Then, the wiring CL, the wiring WL, and the wiring BL are formed soas to be electrically connected to the transistor 200 and the capacitor250 through the openings (see FIG. 8B).

Through the above steps, the semiconductor device including thetransistor 100, the transistor 200, and the capacitor 250 can bemanufactured.

This embodiment shows, but is not limited to, an example of using theoxide semiconductor film 206. Depending on the circumstances orsituation, a semiconductor film including another material may be usedinstead of the oxide semiconductor film 206. For example, asemiconductor film including one or more of elements such as silicon,germanium, gallium, and arsenic may be used instead of the oxidesemiconductor film 206 in a channel region, a source and a drain region,an LDD region, or the like.

Note that the structures, methods, and the like described in thisembodiment can be combined as appropriate with any of the structures,methods, and the like described in the other embodiments andmodification examples thereof.

Embodiment 2

In this embodiment, a semiconductor device (memory device) that canretain stored data even when not powered, and that has an unlimitednumber of write cycles will be described with reference to FIGS. 1A to1C.

The transistor 200 is a transistor in which a channel is formed in asemiconductor layer including an oxide semiconductor. Since theoff-state current of the transistor 200 is low, stored data can beretained for a long period. In other words, it is possible to provide asemiconductor device that does not need refresh operation or has anextremely low frequency of refresh operation, and thus has asufficiently reduced power consumption.

The semiconductor device in FIGS. 1A to 1C has a feature that thepotential of the gate electrode of the transistor 100 can be retained,and thus enables writing, retaining, and reading of data in thefollowing manner.

Writing and retaining of data are described. First, the potential of thewiring WL is set to a potential at which the transistor 200 is turnedon, so that the transistor 200 is turned on. Accordingly, the potentialof the wiring BL is supplied to the gate electrode of the transistor 100and the capacitor 250. That is, a predetermined charge is supplied tothe gate of the transistor 100 (writing). Here, one of two kinds ofcharges providing different potential levels (hereinafter referred to asa low-level charge and a high-level charge) is supplied. After that, thepotential of the wiring WL is set to a potential at which the transistor200 is turned off, so that the transistor 200 is turned off. Thus, thecharge supplied to the gate of the transistor 100 is held (retaining).

Since the off-state current of the transistor 200 is extremely low, thecharge of the gate of the transistor 100 is retained for a long time.

Next, reading of data is described. An appropriate potential (a readingpotential) is supplied to the wiring CL while a predetermined potential(a constant potential) is supplied to the wiring BL, whereby thepotential of the wiring SL varies depending on the amount of chargeretained in the gate of the transistor 100. This is because in the caseof using an n-channel transistor as the transistor 100, an apparentthreshold voltage V_(th) _(_) _(H) at the time when the high-levelcharge is given to the gate electrode of the transistor 100 is lowerthan an apparent threshold voltage V_(th) _(_) _(L) at the time when thelow-level charge is given to the gate electrode of the transistor 100.Here, the apparent threshold voltage refers to the potential of thewiring CL which is needed to turn on the transistor 100. Thus, when thepotential of the wiring CL is set to a potential V₀ which is betweenV_(th) _(_) _(H) and V_(th) _(_) _(L), charge supplied to the gate thetransistor 100 can be determined. For example, in the case where thehigh-level charge is supplied to the gate of the transistor 100 inwriting and the potential of the wiring CL is V₀ (>V_(th) _(_) _(H)),the transistor 100 is turned on. In the case where the low-level chargeis supplied to the gate of the transistor 100 in writing, even when thepotential of the wiring CL is V₀ (<V_(th) _(_) _(L)), the transistor 100remains off. Thus, the data retained in the gate of the transistor 100can be read by determining the potential of the wiring SL.

Note that in the case where memory cells are arrayed, it is necessarythat data of a desired memory cell is read. In the case where suchreading is not performed, the wiring CL may be supplied with a potentialat which the transistor 100 is turned off regardless of the state of thegate, that is, a potential lower than V_(th) _(_) _(H). Alternatively,the wiring CL may be supplied with a potential at which the transistor100 is turned on regardless of the state of the gate, that is, apotential higher than V_(th) _(_) _(L).

A semiconductor device (memory device) illustrated in FIG. 20 isdifferent from that illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 1C in that the transistor100 is not provided. Also in this case, writing and retaining operationof data can be performed in a manner similar to the above.

Next, reading of data is described. When the transistor 200 is turnedon, the wiring BL which is in a floating state and the capacitor 250 areelectrically connected to each other, and the charge is redistributedbetween the wiring BL and the capacitor 250. As a result, the potentialof the wiring BL is changed. The amount of change in the potential ofthe wiring BL varies depending on the potential of the one electrode ofthe capacitor 250 (or the charge accumulated in the capacitor 250).

For example, the potential of the wiring BL after the chargeredistribution is (C_(B)×V_(B0)+C×V)/(C_(B)+C), where V is the potentialof the one electrode of the capacitor 250, C is the capacitance of thecapacitor 250, C_(B) is the capacitance component of the wiring BL, andV_(B0) is the potential of the wiring BL before the chargeredistribution. Thus, it can be found that, assuming that the memorycell is in either of two states in which the potential of the oneelectrode of the capacitor 250 is V₁ and V₀ (V₁>V₀), the potential ofthe wiring BL in the case of retaining the potential V₁(=(C_(B)×V_(B0)+C×V₁)/(C_(B)+C)) is higher than the potential of thewiring BL in the case of retaining the potential V₀(=(C_(B)×V_(B0)+C×V₀)/(C_(B)+C)).

Then, by comparing the potential of the wiring BL with a predeterminedpotential, data can be read.

In that case, a transistor including the aforementioned semiconductormaterial such as silicon may be used for a driver circuit for driving amemory cell, and a transistor including the oxide semiconductor may bestacked over the driver circuit as the transistor 200.

When including a transistor in which a channel formation region isformed using an oxide semiconductor and which has an extremely lowoff-state current, the semiconductor device described in this embodimentcan retain stored data for an extremely long time. In other words, powerconsumption can be sufficiently reduced because refresh operationbecomes unnecessary or the frequency of refresh operation can beextremely low. Moreover, stored data can be retained for a long timeeven when power is not supplied (note that a potential is preferablyfixed).

Furthermore, in the semiconductor device described in this embodiment,high voltage is not needed for writing data and there is no problem ofdeterioration of elements. Unlike in a conventional nonvolatile memory,for example, it is not necessary to inject and extract electrons intoand from a floating gate; thus, a problem such as deterioration of agate insulating film is not caused. That is, the semiconductor device ofthe disclosed invention does not have a limit on the number of timesdata can be rewritten, which is a problem of a conventional nonvolatilememory, and the reliability thereof is drastically improved. Moreover,data is written depending on the state of the transistor (on or off),whereby high-speed operation can be easily achieved.

The structures, methods, and the like described in this embodiment canbe combined as appropriate with any of the structures, methods, and thelike described in the other embodiments.

Embodiment 3

In this embodiment, an RF tag that includes the transistor or the memorydevice described in the above embodiments will be described withreference to FIG. 21.

The RF tag of this embodiment includes a memory circuit, storesnecessary data in the memory circuit, and transmits and receives data toand from the outside by using contactless means, for example, wirelesscommunication. With these features, the RF tag can be used for anindividual authentication system in which an object or the like isrecognized by reading the individual information, for example. Note thatthe RF tag is required to have extremely high reliability in order to beused for this purpose.

A configuration of the RF tag will be described with reference to FIG.21. FIG. 21 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example ofthe RF tag.

As illustrated in FIG. 21, an RF tag 800 includes an antenna 804 whichreceives a radio signal 803 that is transmitted from an antenna 802connected to a communication device 801 (also referred to as aninterrogator, a reader/writer, or the like). The RF tag 800 includes arectifier circuit 805, a constant voltage circuit 806, a demodulationcircuit 807, a modulation circuit 808, a logic circuit 809, a memorycircuit 810, and a ROM 811. A transistor having a rectifying functionincluded in the demodulation circuit 807 may be formed using a materialthat enables a reverse current to be low enough, for example, an oxidesemiconductor. This can suppress the phenomenon of a rectifying functionbecoming weaker due to generation of a reverse current and preventsaturation of the output from the demodulation circuit. In other words,the input to the demodulation circuit and the output from thedemodulation circuit can have a relation closer to a linear relation.Note that data transmission methods are roughly classified into thefollowing three methods: an electromagnetic coupling method in which apair of coils are provided so as to face each other and communicateswith each other by mutual induction, an electromagnetic induction methodin which communication is performed using an induction field, and aradio wave method in which communication is performed using a radiowave. Any of these methods can be used in the RF tag 800 described inthis embodiment.

Next, the structure of each circuit will be described. The antenna 804exchanges the radio signal 803 with the antenna 802 which is connectedto the communication device 801. The rectifier circuit 805 generates aninput potential by rectification, for example, half-wave voltage doublerrectification of an input alternating signal generated by reception of aradio signal at the antenna 804 and smoothing of the rectified signalwith a capacitor provided in a later stage in the rectifier circuit 805.Note that a limiter circuit may be provided on an input side or anoutput side of the rectifier circuit 805. The limiter circuit controlselectric power so that electric power which is higher than or equal to acertain level is not input to a circuit in a later stage if theamplitude of the input alternating signal is high and an internalgeneration voltage is high.

The constant voltage circuit 806 generates a stable power supply voltagefrom an input potential and supplies it to each circuit. Note that theconstant voltage circuit 806 may include a reset signal generationcircuit. The reset signal generation circuit generates a reset signal ofthe logic circuit 809 by utilizing rise of the stable power supplyvoltage.

The demodulation circuit 807 demodulates the input alternating signal byenvelope detection and generates a demodulated signal. The modulationcircuit 808 performs modulation in accordance with data to be outputfrom the antenna 804.

The logic circuit 809 analyzes and processes the demodulated signal. Thememory circuit 810 holds the input data and includes a row decoder, acolumn decoder, a memory region, and the like. Furthermore, the ROM 811stores an identification number (ID) or the like and outputs it inaccordance with processing.

Note that the decision whether each circuit described above is providedor not can be made as appropriate.

Here, the above-described memory device can be used as the memorycircuit 810. The memory device of one embodiment of the presentinvention can retain data even when not powered, and therefore issuitable for an RF tag. Furthermore, the memory device of one embodimentof the present invention needs power (voltage) needed for data writinglower than that needed in a conventional nonvolatile memory; thus, it ispossible to prevent a difference between the maximum communication rangein data reading and that in data writing. In addition, it is possible tosuppress malfunction or incorrect writing which is caused by powershortage in data writing.

Since the memory device of one embodiment of the present invention canbe used as a nonvolatile memory, it can also be used as the ROM 811. Inthis case, it is preferable that a manufacturer separately prepare acommand for writing data to the ROM 811 so that a user cannot rewritedata freely. The manufacturer gives identification numbers beforeshipment and then starts shipment of products, instead of puttingidentification numbers to all the manufactured RF tags; as a result, itis possible to put identification numbers to only good products to beshipped. Thus, the identification numbers of the shipped products are inseries, which facilitates customer management corresponding to theshipped products.

Embodiment 4

Described in this embodiment is a CPU in which at least the transistordescribed in any of the above embodiments can be used and the memorydevice described in the above embodiment is included.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration example of a CPUat least partly including any of the transistors that have normally-offcharacteristics as described in the above embodiments. Note that a CPUat least partly including a transistor having normally-offcharacteristics is referred to as a normally-off CPU in some cases.

The CPU illustrated in FIG. 22 includes, over a substrate 1190, anarithmetic logic unit (ALU) 1191, an ALU controller 1192, an instructiondecoder 1193, an interrupt controller 1194, a timing controller 1195, aregister 1196, a register controller 1197, a bus interface (BUS I/F)1198, a rewritable ROM 1199, and a ROM interface (ROM I/F) 1189. Asemiconductor substrate, an SOI substrate, a glass substrate, or thelike is used as the substrate 1190. The ROM 1199 and the ROM interface1189 may be provided over a separate chip. Needless to say, the CPU inFIG. 22 is just an example in which the configuration is simplified, andan actual CPU may have a variety of configurations depending on theapplication. For example, the CPU may have the following configuration:a structure including the CPU illustrated in FIG. 22 or an arithmeticcircuit is considered as one core; a plurality of the cores areincluded; and the cores operate in parallel. The number of bits that theCPU can process in an internal arithmetic circuit or in a data bus canbe 8, 16, 32, or 64, for example.

An instruction that is input to the CPU through the bus interface 1198is input to the instruction decoder 1193 and decoded therein, and then,input to the ALU controller 1192, the interrupt controller 1194, theregister controller 1197, and the timing controller 1195.

The ALU controller 1192, the interrupt controller 1194, the registercontroller 1197, and the timing controller 1195 conduct various controlsin accordance with the decoded instruction. Specifically, the ALUcontroller 1192 generates signals for controlling the operation of theALU 1191. While the CPU is executing a program, the interrupt controller1194 judges an interrupt request from an external input/output device ora peripheral circuit on the basis of its priority or a mask state, andprocesses the request. The register controller 1197 generates an addressof the register 1196, and reads/writes data from/to the register 1196 inaccordance with the state of the CPU.

The timing controller 1195 generates signals for controlling operationtimings of the ALU 1191, the ALU controller 1192, the instructiondecoder 1193, the interrupt controller 1194, and the register controller1197. For example, the timing controller 1195 includes an internal clockgenerator for generating an internal clock signal CLK2 based on areference clock signal CLK1, and supplies the internal clock signal CLK2to the above circuits.

In the CPU illustrated in FIG. 22, a memory cell is provided in theregister 1196. For the memory cell of the register 1196, any of thetransistors described in the above embodiments can be used.

In the CPU illustrated in FIG. 22, the register controller 1197 selectsoperation of retaining data in the register 1196 in accordance with aninstruction from the ALU 1191. That is, the register controller 1197selects whether data is retained by a flip-flop or by a capacitor in thememory cell included in the register 1196. When data retaining by theflip-flop is selected, a power supply voltage is supplied to the memorycell in the register 1196. When data retaining by the capacitor isselected, the data is rewritten in the capacitor, and supply of powersupply voltage to the memory cell in the register 1196 can be stopped.

FIG. 23 is an example of a circuit diagram of a memory element that canbe used as the register 1196. A memory element 1200 includes a circuit1201 in which stored data is volatile when power supply is stopped, acircuit 1202 in which stored data is nonvolatile even when power supplyis stopped, a switch 1203, a switch 1204, a logic element 1206, acapacitor 1207, and a circuit 1220 having a selecting function. Thecircuit 1202 includes a capacitor 1208, a transistor 1209, and atransistor 1210. Note that the memory element 1200 may further includeanother element such as a diode, a resistor, or an inductor, as needed.

Here, the memory device described in the above embodiment can be used asthe circuit 1202. When supply of a power supply voltage to the memoryelement 1200 is stopped, a ground potential (0 V) or a potential atwhich the transistor 1209 in the circuit 1202 is turned off continues tobe input to a gate of the transistor 1209. For example, the gate of thetransistor 1209 is grounded through a load such as a resistor.

Shown here is an example in which the switch 1203 is a transistor 1213having one conductivity type (e.g., an n-channel transistor) and theswitch 1204 is a transistor 1214 having a conductivity type opposite tothe one conductivity type (e.g., a p-channel transistor). A firstterminal of the switch 1203 corresponds to one of a source and a drainof the transistor 1213, a second terminal of the switch 1203 correspondsto the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 1213, andconduction or non-conduction between the first terminal and the secondterminal of the switch 1203 (i.e., the on/off state of the transistor1213) is selected by a control signal RD input to a gate of thetransistor 1213. A first terminal of the switch 1204 corresponds to oneof a source and a drain of the transistor 1214, a second terminal of theswitch 1204 corresponds to the other of the source and the drain of thetransistor 1214, and conduction or non-conduction between the firstterminal and the second terminal of the switch 1204 (i.e., the on/offstate of the transistor 1214) is selected by the control signal RD inputto a gate of the transistor 1214.

One of a source and a drain of the transistor 1209 is electricallyconnected to one of a pair of electrodes of the capacitor 1208 and agate of the transistor 1210. Here, the connection portion is referred toas a node M2. One of a source and a drain of the transistor 1210 iselectrically connected to a wiring that can supply a low power supplypotential (e.g., a GND line), and the other thereof is electricallyconnected to the first terminal of the switch 1203 (the one of thesource and the drain of the transistor 1213). The second terminal of theswitch 1203 (the other of the source and the drain of the transistor1213) is electrically connected to the first terminal of the switch 1204(the one of the source and the drain of the transistor 1214). The secondterminal of the switch 1204 (the other of the source and the drain ofthe transistor 1214) is electrically connected to a wiring that cansupply a power supply potential VDD. The second terminal of the switch1203 (the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 1213), thefirst terminal of the switch 1204 (the one of the source and the drainof the transistor 1214), an input terminal of the logic element 1206,and one of a pair of electrodes of the capacitor 1207 are electricallyconnected to each other. Here, the connection portion is referred to asa node M1. The other of the pair of electrodes of the capacitor 1207 canbe supplied with a constant potential. For example, the other of thepair of electrodes of the capacitor 1207 can be supplied with a lowpower supply potential (e.g., GND) or a high power supply potential(e.g., VDD). The other of the pair of electrodes of the capacitor 1207is electrically connected to the wiring that can supply a low powersupply potential (e.g., a GND line). The other of the pair of electrodesof the capacitor 1208 can be supplied with a constant potential. Forexample, the other of the pair of electrodes of the capacitor 1208 canbe supplied with a low power supply potential (e.g., GND) or a highpower supply potential (e.g., VDD). The other of the pair of electrodesof the capacitor 1208 is electrically connected to the wiring that cansupply a low power supply potential (e.g., a GND line).

The capacitor 1207 and the capacitor 1208 can be omitted if theparasitic capacitance of the transistor, the wiring, or the like isactively utilized.

A control signal WE is input to the first gate (first gate electrode) ofthe transistor 1209. As for each of the switch 1203 and the switch 1204,a conduction state or a non-conduction state between the first terminaland the second terminal is selected by the control signal RD which isdifferent from the control signal WE. When one of the switches is in theconduction state between the first terminal and the second terminal, theother of the switches is in the non-conduction state between the firstterminal and the second terminal.

A signal corresponding to data retained in the circuit 1201 is input tothe other of the source and the drain of the transistor 1209. FIG. 23illustrates an example in which a signal output from the circuit 1201 isinput to the other of the source and the drain of the transistor 1209.The logic value of a signal output from the second terminal of theswitch 1203 (the other of the source and the drain of the transistor1213) is inverted by the logic element 1206, and the inverted signal isinput to the circuit 1201 through the circuit 1220.

In the example of FIG. 23, a signal output from the second terminal ofthe switch 1203 (the other of the source and the drain of the transistor1213) is input to the circuit 1201 through the logic element 1206 andthe circuit 1220; however, one embodiment of the present invention isnot limited thereto. The signal output from the second terminal of theswitch 1203 (the other of the source and the drain of the transistor1213) may be input to the circuit 1201 without its logic value beinginverted. For example, in the case where the circuit 1201 includes anode in which a signal obtained by inversion of the logic value of asignal input from the input terminal is retained, the signal output fromthe second terminal of the switch 1203 (the other of the source and thedrain of the transistor 1213) can be input to the node.

In FIG. 23, the transistors included in the memory element 1200 exceptfor the transistor 1209 can each be a transistor in which a channel isformed in a layer formed using a semiconductor other than an oxidesemiconductor or in the substrate 1190. For example, the transistor canbe a transistor whose channel is formed in a silicon layer or a siliconsubstrate. Alternatively, a transistor in which a channel is formed inan oxide semiconductor layer can be used for all the transistors in thememory element 1200. Further alternatively, in the memory element 1200,a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxide semiconductorlayer can be included besides the transistor 1209, and a transistor inwhich a channel is formed in the substrate 1190 or a layer including asemiconductor other than an oxide semiconductor can be used for the restof the transistors.

As the circuit 1201 in FIG. 23, for example, a flip-flop circuit can beused. As the logic element 1206, for example, an inverter or a clockedinverter can be used.

In a period during which the memory element 1200 is not supplied withthe power supply voltage, the semiconductor device of one embodiment ofthe present invention can retain data stored in the circuit 1201 by thecapacitor 1208 which is provided in the circuit 1202.

The off-state current of a transistor in which a channel is formed in anoxide semiconductor layer is extremely low. For example, the off-statecurrent of a transistor in which a channel is formed in an oxidesemiconductor layer is significantly lower than that of a transistor inwhich a channel is formed in silicon having crystallinity. Thus, whenthe transistor is used as the transistor 1209, a signal held in thecapacitor 1208 is retained for a long time also in a period during whichthe power supply voltage is not supplied to the memory element 1200. Thememory element 1200 can accordingly retain the stored content (data)also in a period during which the supply of the power supply voltage isstopped.

Since the above-described memory element performs pre-charge operationwith the switch 1203 and the switch 1204, the time required for thecircuit 1201 to retain original data again after the supply of the powersupply voltage is restarted can be shortened.

In the circuit 1202, a signal retained by the capacitor 1208 is input tothe gate of the transistor 1210. Therefore, after supply of the powersupply voltage to the memory element 1200 is restarted, the signalretained by the capacitor 1208 can be converted into the onecorresponding to the state (the on state or the off state) of thetransistor 1210 to be read from the circuit 1202. Consequently, anoriginal signal can be accurately read even when a potentialcorresponding to the signal retained by the capacitor 1208 varies tosome degree.

By using the above-described memory element 1200 for a memory devicesuch as a register or a cache memory included in a processor, data inthe memory device can be prevented from being lost owing to the stop ofthe supply of the power supply voltage. Furthermore, shortly after thesupply of the power supply voltage is restarted, the memory device canbe returned to the same state as that before the power supply isstopped. Therefore, the power supply can be stopped even for a shorttime in the processor or one or a plurality of logic circuits includedin the processor, resulting in lower power consumption.

Although the memory element 1200 is used in a CPU in this embodiment,the memory element 1200 can also be used in an LSI such as a digitalsignal processor (DSP), a custom LSI, a programmable logic device (PLD),or a field programmable gate array (FPGA), and a radio frequency (RF)device.

Embodiment 5

In this embodiment, an example of a structure of a display device of oneembodiment of the present invention will be described.

[Example of Structure]

FIG. 24A is a top view of the display device of one embodiment of thepresent invention. FIG. 24B is a circuit diagram illustrating a pixelcircuit that can be used in the case where a liquid crystal element isused in a pixel in the display device of one embodiment of the presentinvention. FIG. 24C is a circuit diagram illustrating a pixel circuitthat can be used in the case where an organic EL element is used in apixel in the display device of one embodiment of the present invention.

The transistor in the pixel portion can be formed in accordance with theabove embodiment. The transistor can be easily formed as an n-channeltransistor, and thus part of a driver circuit that can be formed usingan n-channel transistor is formed over the same substrate as thetransistor of the pixel portion. With the use of any of the transistorsdescribed in the above embodiments for the pixel portion or the drivercircuit in this manner, a highly reliable display device can beprovided.

FIG. 24A illustrates an example of a top view of an active matrixdisplay device. A pixel portion 701, a first scan line driver circuit702, a second scan line driver circuit 703, and a signal line drivercircuit 704 are formed over a substrate 700 of the display device. Inthe pixel portion 701, a plurality of signal lines extended from thesignal line driver circuit 704 are arranged and a plurality of scanlines extended from the first scan line driver circuit 702 and thesecond scan line driver circuit 703 are arranged. Note that pixels whichinclude display elements are provided in a matrix in the respectiveregions where the scan lines and the signal lines intersect with eachother. The substrate 700 of the display device is connected to a timingcontrol circuit (also referred to as a controller or a controller IC)through a connection portion such as a flexible printed circuit (FPC).

In FIG. 24A, the first scan line driver circuit 702, the second scanline driver circuit 703, and the signal line driver circuit 704 areformed over the substrate 700 where the pixel portion 701 is formed.Accordingly, the number of components which are provided outside, suchas a driver circuit, can be reduced, leading to cost reduction.Furthermore, if the driver circuit is provided outside the substrate700, wirings would need to be extended and the number of wiringconnections would increase. When the driver circuit is provided over thesubstrate 700, the number of wiring connections can be reduced,resulting in an improvement in reliability or yield.

[Liquid Crystal Display Device]

FIG. 24B illustrates an example of a circuit configuration of the pixel.Here, a pixel circuit that can be used in a pixel of a VA liquid crystaldisplay panel is illustrated.

This pixel circuit can be used for a structure in which one pixelincludes a plurality of pixel electrode layers. The pixel electrodelayers are connected to different transistors, and the transistors canbe driven with different gate signals. Accordingly, signals applied toindividual pixel electrode layers in a multi-domain pixel can becontrolled independently.

A gate wiring 712 of a transistor 716 and a gate wiring 713 of atransistor 717 are separated so that different gate signals can besupplied thereto. In contrast, a source or drain electrode layer 714which functions as a data line is shared by the transistors 716 and 717.The transistor described in any of the above embodiments can be used asappropriate as each of the transistors 716 and 717. Thus, a highlyreliable liquid crystal display device can be provided.

The shapes of a first pixel electrode layer electrically connected tothe transistor 716 and a second pixel electrode layer electricallyconnected to the transistor 717 are described. The first pixel electrodelayer and the second pixel electrode layer are separated by a slit. Thefirst pixel electrode layer is spread in a V shape and the second pixelelectrode layer is provided so as to surround the first pixel electrodelayer.

A gate electrode of the transistor 716 is connected to the gate wiring712, and a gate electrode of the transistor 717 is connected to the gatewiring 713. When different gate signals are supplied to the gate wiring712 and the gate wiring 713, operation timings of the transistor 716 andthe transistor 717 can be varied. As a result, alignment of liquidcrystals can be controlled.

A storage capacitor may be formed using a capacitor wiring 710, a gateinsulating film functioning as a dielectric, and a capacitor electrodeelectrically connected to the first pixel electrode layer or the secondpixel electrode layer.

The multi-domain pixel includes a first liquid crystal element 718 and asecond liquid crystal element 719. The first liquid crystal element 718includes the first pixel electrode layer, a counter electrode layer, anda liquid crystal layer therebetween. The second liquid crystal element719 includes the second pixel electrode layer, a counter electrodelayer, and a liquid crystal layer therebetween.

Note that a pixel circuit of the present invention is not limited tothat shown in FIG. 24B. For example, a switch, a resistor, a capacitor,a transistor, a sensor, a logic circuit, or the like may be added to thepixel illustrated in FIG. 24B.

[Organic EL Display Device]

FIG. 24C illustrates another example of a circuit configuration of thepixel. Here, a pixel structure of a display device including an organicEL element is shown.

In an organic EL element, by application of voltage to a light-emittingelement, electrons are injected from one of a pair of electrodes andholes are injected from the other of the pair of electrodes into a layercontaining a light-emitting organic compound, so that current flows. Theelectrons and holes are recombined, and thus, the light-emitting organiccompound is excited. The light-emitting organic compound returns to aground state from the excited state, thereby emitting light. Owing tosuch a mechanism, this light-emitting element is referred to as acurrent-excitation light-emitting element.

FIG. 24C illustrates an applicable example of a pixel circuit. Here, onepixel includes two n-channel transistors. Note that a metal oxide filmof one embodiment of the present invention can be used for channelformation regions of the n-channel transistors. Furthermore, digitaltime grayscale driving can be employed for the pixel circuit.

The configuration of the applicable pixel circuit and operation of apixel employing digital time grayscale driving are described.

A pixel 720 includes a switching transistor 721, a driver transistor722, a light-emitting element 724, and a capacitor 723. A gate electrodelayer of the switching transistor 721 is connected to a scan line 726, afirst electrode (one of a source electrode layer and a drain electrodelayer) of the switching transistor 721 is connected to a signal line725, and a second electrode (the other of the source electrode layer andthe drain electrode layer) of the switching transistor 721 is connectedto a gate electrode layer of the driver transistor 722. The gateelectrode layer of the driver transistor 722 is connected to a powersupply line 727 through the capacitor 723, a first electrode of thedriver transistor 722 is connected to the power supply line 727, and asecond electrode of the driver transistor 722 is connected to a firstelectrode (a pixel electrode) of the light-emitting element 724. Asecond electrode of the light-emitting element 724 corresponds to acommon electrode 728. The common electrode 728 is electrically connectedto a common potential line formed over the same substrate as the commonelectrode 728.

As the switching transistor 721 and the driver transistor 722, thetransistor described in any of the above embodiments can be used asappropriate. In this manner, a highly reliable organic EL display devicecan be provided.

The potential of the second electrode (the common electrode 728) of thelight-emitting element 724 is set to be a low power supply potential.Note that the low power supply potential is lower than a high powersupply potential supplied to the power supply line 727. For example, thelow power supply potential can be GND, 0 V, or the like. The high powersupply potential and the low power supply potential are set to be higherthan or equal to the forward threshold voltage of the light-emittingelement 724, and the difference between the potentials is applied to thelight-emitting element 724, whereby current is supplied to thelight-emitting element 724, leading to light emission. The forwardvoltage of the light-emitting element 724 refers to a voltage at which adesired luminance is obtained, and includes at least a forward thresholdvoltage.

Note that gate capacitance of the driver transistor 722 may be used as asubstitute for the capacitor 723, so that the capacitor 723 can beomitted. The gate capacitance of the driver transistor 722 may be formedbetween the channel formation region and the gate electrode layer.

Next, a signal input to the driver transistor 722 is described. In thecase of a voltage-input voltage driving method, a video signal forsufficiently turning on or off the driver transistor 722 is input to thedriver transistor 722. In order for the driver transistor 722 to operatein a linear region, voltage higher than the voltage of the power supplyline 727 is applied to the gate electrode layer of the driver transistor722. Note that a voltage higher than or equal to the sum of power supplyline voltage and the threshold voltage Vth of the driver transistor 722is applied to the signal line 725.

In the case of performing analog grayscale driving, a voltage higherthan or equal to the sum of the forward voltage of the light-emittingelement 724 and the threshold voltage Vth of the driver transistor 722is applied to the gate electrode layer of the driver transistor 722. Avideo signal by which the driver transistor 722 is operated in asaturation region is input, so that current is supplied to thelight-emitting element 724. In order for the driver transistor 722 tooperate in a saturation region, the potential of the power supply line727 is set higher than the gate potential of the driver transistor 722.When an analog video signal is used, it is possible to supply current tothe light-emitting element 724 in accordance with the video signal andperform analog grayscale driving.

Note that the configuration of the pixel circuit of the presentinvention is not limited to that illustrated in FIG. 24C. For example, aswitch, a resistor, a capacitor, a sensor, a transistor, a logiccircuit, or the like may be added to the pixel circuit illustrated inFIG. 24C.

In the case where the transistor shown in any of the above embodimentsis used for any of the circuits shown in FIGS. 24A to 24C, the sourceelectrode (the first electrode) is electrically connected to the lowpotential side and the drain electrode (the second electrode) iselectrically connected to the high potential side. Furthermore, thepotential of the first gate electrode may be controlled by a controlcircuit or the like and the potential described above as an example,e.g., a potential lower than the potential applied to the sourceelectrode, may be input to the second gate electrode through a wiringthat is not illustrated.

For example, in this specification and the like, a display element, adisplay device which is a device including a display element, alight-emitting element, and a light-emitting device which is a deviceincluding a light-emitting element can employ a variety of modes or caninclude a variety of elements. Examples of a display element, a displaydevice, a light-emitting element, or a light-emitting device include anelectroluminescent (EL) element (e.g., an EL element including organicand inorganic materials, an organic EL element, or an inorganic ELelement), an LED (e.g., a white LED, a red LED, a green LED, or a blueLED), a transistor (a transistor which emits light depending oncurrent), an electron emitter, a liquid crystal element, electronic ink,an electrophoretic element, a grating light valve (GLV), a plasmadisplay panel (PDP), a micro electro mechanical system (MEMS), a digitalmicromirror device (DMD), a digital micro shutter (DMS), MIRASOL(registered trademark), an interferometric modulator display (IMOD)element, an electrowetting element, a piezoelectric ceramic display, ora carbon nanotube, which are display media whose contrast, luminance,reflectivity, transmittance, or the like is changed by electromagneticaction. Note that examples of a display device having an EL elementinclude an EL display. Examples of a display device having an electronemitter include a field emission display (FED) and an SED-type flatpanel display (SED: surface-conduction electron-emitter display).Examples of a display device having a liquid crystal element include aliquid crystal display (e.g., a transmissive liquid crystal display, atransflective liquid crystal display, a reflective liquid crystaldisplay, a direct-view liquid crystal display, or a projection liquidcrystal display). Examples of a display device having electronic ink oran electrophoretic element include electronic paper.

At least part of this embodiment can be combined as appropriate with anyof the other embodiments in this specification.

Embodiment 6

In this embodiment, a display module using a semiconductor device of oneembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIG. 25.

In a display module 8000 in FIG. 25, a touch panel 8004 connected to anFPC 8003, a display panel 8006 connected to an FPC 8005, a backlightunit 8007, a frame 8009, a printed board 8010, and a battery 8011 areprovided between an upper cover 8001 and a lower cover 8002. Note thatthe backlight unit 8007, the battery 8011, the touch panel 8004, and thelike are not provided in some cases.

The semiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention canbe used for the display panel 8006, for example.

The shapes and sizes of the upper cover 8001 and the lower cover 8002can be changed as appropriate in accordance with the sizes of the touchpanel 8004 and the display panel 8006.

The touch panel 8004 can be a resistive touch panel or a capacitivetouch panel and may be formed to overlap with the display panel 8006. Acounter substrate (sealing substrate) of the display panel 8006 can havea touch panel function. A photosensor may be provided in each pixel ofthe display panel 8006 so that an optical touch panel is obtained. Anelectrode for a touch sensor may be provided in each pixel of thedisplay panel 8006 so that a capacitive touch panel is obtained.

The backlight unit 8007 includes a light source 8008. The light source8008 may be provided at an end portion of the backlight unit 8007 and alight diffusing plate may be used.

The frame 8009 protects the display panel 8006 and also functions as anelectromagnetic shield for blocking electromagnetic waves generated bythe operation of the printed board 8010. The frame 8009 may function asa radiator plate.

The printed board 8010 has a power supply circuit and a signalprocessing circuit for outputting a video signal and a clock signal. Asa power source for supplying power to the power supply circuit, anexternal commercial power source or a power source using the battery8011 provided separately may be used. The battery 8011 can be omitted inthe case of using a commercial power source.

The display module 8000 can be additionally provided with a member suchas a polarizing plate, a retardation plate, or a prism sheet.

The structure described in this embodiment can be combined asappropriate with the any of the structures described in the otherembodiments.

Embodiment 7

The semiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention canbe used for display devices, personal computers, or image reproducingdevices provided with recording media (typically, devices whichreproduce the content of recording media such as digital versatile discs(DVDs) and have displays for displaying the reproduced images). Otherexamples of electronic devices that can be equipped with thesemiconductor device of one embodiment of the present invention aremobile phones, game machines including portable game consoles, portabledata terminals, e-book readers, cameras such as video cameras anddigital still cameras, goggle-type displays (head mounted displays),navigation systems, audio reproducing devices (e.g., car audio systemsand digital audio players), copiers, facsimiles, printers, multifunctionprinters, automated teller machines (ATM), and vending machines. FIGS.26A to 26F illustrate specific examples of these electronic devices.

FIG. 26A illustrates a portable game console including a housing 901, ahousing 902, a display portion 903, a display portion 904, a microphone905, a speaker 906, an operation key 907, a stylus 908, and the like.Although the portable game console in FIG. 26A has the two displayportions 903 and 904, the number of display portions included in aportable game console is not limited to this.

FIG. 26B illustrates a portable data terminal including a first housing911, a second housing 912, a first display portion 913, a second displayportion 914, a joint 915, an operation key 916, and the like. The firstdisplay portion 913 is provided in the first housing 911, and the seconddisplay portion 914 is provided in the second housing 912. The firsthousing 911 and the second housing 912 are connected to each other withthe joint 915, and the angle between the first housing 911 and thesecond housing 912 can be changed with the joint 915. An image on thefirst display portion 913 may be switched depending on the angle betweenthe first housing 911 and the second housing 912 at the joint 915. Adisplay device with a position input function may be used as at leastone of the first display portion 913 and the second display portion 914.Note that the position input function can be added by providing a touchpanel in a display device. Alternatively, the position input functioncan be added by provision of a photoelectric conversion element called aphotosensor in a pixel portion of a display device.

FIG. 26C illustrates a laptop personal computer including a housing 921,a display portion 922, a keyboard 923, a pointing device 924, and thelike.

FIG. 26D illustrates an electric refrigerator-freezer including ahousing 931, a door for a refrigerator 932, a door for a freezer 933,and the like.

FIG. 26E illustrates a video camera including a first housing 941, asecond housing 942, a display portion 943, operation keys 944, a lens945, a joint 946, and the like. The operation keys 944 and the lens 945are provided for the first housing 941, and the display portion 943 isprovided for the second housing 942. The first housing 941 and thesecond housing 942 are connected to each other with the joint 946, andthe angle between the first housing 941 and the second housing 942 canbe changed with the joint 946. Images displayed on the display portion943 may be switched in accordance with the angle between the firsthousing 941 and the second housing 942 at the joint 946.

FIG. 26F illustrates an ordinary vehicle including a car body 951,wheels 952, a dashboard 953, lights 954, and the like.

Embodiment 8

In this embodiment, application examples of an RF device of oneembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toFIGS. 27A to 27F. The RF devices are widely used and can be providedfor, for example, products such as bills, coins, securities, bearerbonds, documents (e.g., driver's licenses or resident's cards, see FIG.27A), packaging containers (e.g., wrapping paper or bottles, see FIG.27C), recording media (e.g., DVD or video tapes, see FIG. 27B), vehicles(e.g., bicycles, see FIG. 27D), personal belongings (e.g., bags orglasses), foods, plants, animals, human bodies, clothing, householdgoods, medical supplies such as medicine and chemicals, and electronicdevices (e.g., liquid crystal display devices, EL display devices,television sets, or cellular phones), or tags on products (see FIGS. 27Eand 27F).

An RF device 4000 of one embodiment of the present invention is fixed toa product by being attached to a surface thereof or embedded therein.For example, the RF device 4000 is fixed to each product by beingembedded in paper of a book, or embedded in an organic resin of apackage. Since the RF device 4000 of one embodiment of the presentinvention can be reduced in size, thickness, and weight, it can be fixedto a product without spoiling the design of the product. Furthermore,bills, coins, securities, bearer bonds, documents, or the like can havean identification function by being provided with the RF device 4000 ofone embodiment of the present invention, and the identification functioncan be utilized to prevent counterfeiting. Moreover, the efficiency of asystem such as an inspection system can be improved by providing the RFdevice of one embodiment of the present invention for packagingcontainers, recording media, personal belongings, foods, clothing,household goods, electronic devices, or the like. Vehicles can also havehigher security against theft or the like by being provided with the RFdevice of one embodiment of the present invention.

As described above, by using the RF device of one embodiment of thepresent invention for each application described in this embodiment,power for operation such as writing or reading of data can be reduced,which results in an increase in the maximum communication distance.Moreover, data can be held for an extremely long period even in thestate where power is not supplied; thus, the RF device can be preferablyused for application in which data is not frequently written or read.

Example 1

This example shows the results of TDS measurement of the dehydrogenationand dehydration effect on insulating films over a transistor using asilicon-based semiconductor material.

Samples used in this example will be described.

Thermal oxidation was performed on a silicon substrate, so that a100-nm-thick thermal oxide film was formed on a surface of the siliconsubstrate. The thermal oxidation was performed at 950° C. for 4 hours inan atmosphere containing hydrogen chloride (HCl) at 3 vol % with respectto oxygen.

Then, a 280-nm-thick silicon nitride oxide film was deposited over thethermal oxide film by a CVD method in the following conditions: silane(SiH₄) at a flow rate of 40 sccm, dinitrogen monoxide (N₂O) at a flowrate of 30 sccm, ammonia (NH₃) at a flow rate of 300 sccm, and hydrogen(H₂) at a flow rate of 900 sccm were used as source gases; the pressurein a reaction chamber was 160 Pa; the substrate temperature was 325° C.;and a high-frequency power of 250 W was supplied to parallel plateelectrodes by using a 27 MHz high-frequency power source.

A 300-nm-thick silicon oxynitride film was deposited by a thermal CVDmethod in the following conditions: silane (SiH₄) at a flow rate of 40sccm and dinitrogen monoxide (N₂O) at a flow rate of 400 sccm were usedas source gases; the pressure in a reaction chamber was 267 Pa (2 Torr);and the substrate temperature was 400° C.

Next, a 500-nm-thick silicon oxide film was deposited over the siliconoxynitride film by a CVD method in the following conditions:tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) at a flow rate of 15 sccm and oxygen (O₂) at aflow rate of 750 sccm were used as source gases; the substratetemperature was 300° C.; and a high-frequency power of 300 W wassupplied to parallel plate electrodes by using a 27 MHz high-frequencypower source.

Heat treatment was performed in the following conditions: Condition 1,3-hour heat treatment at 490° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere; Condition2, 5-hour heat treatment at 490° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere;Condition 3, 10-hour heat treatment at 490° C. under a nitrogenatmosphere; Condition 4, 1-hour heat treatment at 530° C. under anitrogen atmosphere; Condition 5, 3-hour heat treatment at 530° C. undera nitrogen atmosphere; Condition 6, 5-hour heat treatment at 530° C.under a nitrogen atmosphere; Condition 7, 10-hour heat treatment at 530°C. under a nitrogen atmosphere; Condition 8, 1-hour heat treatment at540° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere; Condition 9, 5-hour heat treatmentat 450° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere; and Condition 10, no heattreatment.

Subsequently, the amount of gas released from each sample was measured.Note that the TDS analysis was performed using EMD-WA1000S/W, a thermaldesorption spectrometer manufactured by ESCO, Ltd. The measurementconditions were as follows: a SEM voltage of 1000 V, a substrate surfacetemperature ranging from room temperature to 530° C., a degree of vacuumof 1.9×10⁻⁷ Pa or less, a Dwell Time of 0.2 (sec/U), and a temperaturerising rate set to 32 (° C./min) Note that the temperature rising rateof the substrate surface was approximately 18 (° C./min).

FIG. 28 and FIG. 29 show the amount of released hydrogen molecules, H₂(mass-to-charge ratio m/z=2) and the amount of released water molecules,H₂O (mass-to-charge ratio m/z=18), respectively, which were measured byTDS.

Under the conditions 4, 5, 6, and 7, hydrogen molecules and watermolecules were quantified and measured. Hydrogen molecules werequantified in the range of 50° C. to 450° C., and water molecules werequantified in the range of 200° C. to 450° C.

Table 1 shows the results of quantification of hydrogen molecules andwater molecules under the respective conditions.

TABLE 1 Hydrogen molecule Water molecule [/cm²] [/cm²] Condition 1 490°C. 3 hr 1.3E+15 3.1E+15 Condition 2 490° C. 5 hr 9.8E+14 2.8E+15Condition 3 490° C. 10 hr 6.8E+14 2.2E+15 Condition 4 530° C. 1 hr9.3E+14 3.1E+15 Condition 5 530° C. 3 hr 4.2E+14 1.9E+15 Condition 6530° C. 5 hr 3.6E+14 1.5E+15 Condition 7 530° C. 10 hr 2.8E+14 1.1E+15Condition 8 540° C. 1 hr 5.8E+14 2.3E+15 Condition 9 450° C. 5 hr2.9E+15 6.4E+15 Condition 10 No heat treatment 2.1E+16 2.3E+16

Table 1 and FIG. 28 indicate that the amount of released hydrogen wasreduced with an increase in temperature and heating time. Under theconditions 5, 6, and 7, the amount of released hydrogen molecules at450° C. was found to be less than or equal to 130% of the amount ofreleased hydrogen molecules at 350° C. In addition, Table 1 and FIG. 29indicate that the amount of released water was reduced with an increasein temperature and heating time.

Example 2

In this example, a semiconductor device that included a transistorincluding single crystal silicon and a transistor including an oxidesemiconductor stacked over the transistor was manufactured, and theelectrical characteristics of the transistors were measured.

[Samples]

Methods for manufacturing samples are described below.

First, an SOI substrate including a single crystal silicon film with athickness of 52 nm was prepared as a substrate.

Next, part of the single crystal silicon film was etched byphotolithography to form an island-shaped single crystal silicon film.

Next, a surface of the single crystal silicon film was oxidized by amicrowave CVD method to form a silicon oxide film with a thickness of 10nm. Note that the microwave CVD method is also called a high-densityplasma CVD method or the like. Then, heat treatment was performed at950° C. in a nitrogen atmosphere for 1 hour. In such a manner, a gateinsulating film was formed.

Next, phosphorus ions were implanted into part of the single crystalsilicon film in order to form a p-channel transistor. The phosphorusions were implanted by an ion implantation apparatus with a massseparation function at an acceleration voltage of 18 kV and aconcentration of 6.5×10¹¹ ions/cm².

Next, boron ions were implanted into part of the single crystal siliconfilm in order to form an n-channel transistor. The boron ions wereimplanted by the ion implantation apparatus at an acceleration voltageof 14 kV and a concentration of 3.0×10¹² ions/cm².

Next, a tantalum nitride film with a thickness of 30 nm and a tungstenfilm with a thickness of 170 nm were sequentially formed by a sputteringmethod. After that, parts of the tantalum nitride film and the tungstenfilm were etched by photolithography to form a gate electrode.

Next, boron ions were implanted into a region in the single crystalsilicon film that was to be the p-channel transistor with the use of thegate electrode as a mask. The boron ions were implanted by the ionimplantation apparatus at an acceleration voltage of 9 kV and aconcentration of 1.0×10¹³ ions/cm².

Next, phosphorus ions were implanted into a region in the single crystalsilicon film that was to be the n-channel transistor with the use of thegate electrode as a mask. The phosphorus ions were implanted by the ionimplantation apparatus at an acceleration voltage of 9 kV and aconcentration of 1.0×10¹³ ions/cm².

Next, a silicon oxynitride film was formed to a thickness of 300 nm by aplasma CVD method and subjected to anisotropic etching to form aninsulating film (also referred to as a sidewall insulating film) incontact with a side surface of the gate electrode. Note that part of thegate insulating film was also etched when the silicon oxynitride filmwas etched. As a result, part of the single crystal silicon film wasexposed.

Next, the region in the single crystal silicon film that was to be thep-channel transistor was doped with boron ions with the use of the gateelectrode and the sidewall insulating film as masks. The region wasdoped with the boron ions by an ion doping apparatus without a massseparation function at an acceleration voltage of 10 kV and aconcentration of 1.5×10¹⁶ ions/cm². The region doped with the boron ionsfunctions as a source region or a drain region of the p-channeltransistor. In addition, a region directly under the sidewall insulatingfilm has a carrier density between those of a channel formation regionand the source or drain region, which were formed through theabove-described steps, and thus functions as a lightly doped drain (LDD)region.

Next, the region in the single crystal silicon film that was to be then-channel transistor was doped with phosphorus ions with the use of thegate electrode and the sidewall insulating film as masks. The region wasdoped with the phosphorus ions by the ion doping apparatus at anacceleration voltage of 10 kV and a concentration of 3.0×10¹⁵ ions/cm².The region doped with the phosphorus ions functions as a source regionor a drain region of the n-channel transistor. In addition, a regiondirectly under the sidewall insulating film has a carrier densitybetween those of a channel formation region and the source or drainregion, which were formed through the above-described steps, and thusfunctions as an LDD region.

Next, a silicon oxynitride film was formed to a thickness of 50 nm by aplasma CVD method.

Then, heat treatment was performed at 550° C. in a nitrogen atmospherefor 1 hour.

Next, a silicon nitride oxide film was formed to a thickness of 280 nmby a plasma CVD method. Since the silicon nitride oxide film contains alarge amount of hydrogen, it is also called a SiNOH film.

Next, a silicon oxynitride film was formed to a thickness of 300 nm by athermal CVD method.

Then, heat treatment was performed at 490° C. in a nitrogen atmospherefor 1 hour. By the heat treatment, hydrogen is released from the SiNOHfilm. The released hydrogen reaches the single crystal silicon film andterminates dangling bonds of the single crystal silicon film. Such heattreatment is called hydrogenation treatment.

Next, parts of the 50-nm-thick silicon oxynitride film, the 280-nm-thicksilicon nitride oxide film, and the 300-nm-thick silicon oxide film wereetched to form openings reaching the source region, the drain region,the gate electrode, and the like.

Next, a tungsten film was formed to a thickness of 150 nm by asputtering method.

Then, part of the tungsten film was etched by photolithography to form afirst wiring layer.

Next, a silicon oxide film was formed to a thickness of 900 nm by aplasma CVD method.

Then, a top surface of the silicon oxide film was subjected to CMPtreatment to be planarized so that the thickness of the silicon oxidefilm became approximately 400 nm to 500 nm.

Next, heat treatment was performed in a nitrogen atmosphere. Note thatSample 1 was subjected to heat treatment at 490° C. for 10 hours,whereas Sample 2 was subjected to heat treatment at 450° C. for 5 hours.The heat treatment diffuses, in the outward direction, hydrogen thatremains in each layer without being diffused outward by theabove-described hydrogenation treatment and without being used fortermination of dangling bonds, and thus is called dehydrogenationtreatment. The dehydrogenation treatment becomes more effective with ahigher temperature and a longer time. Thus, Sample 1 has a smalleramount of remaining hydrogen than Sample 2.

Next, part of the silicon oxide film with a thickness of approximately400 nm to 500 nm was etched to form an opening reaching the first wiringlayer or the like.

Next, a tungsten film was formed to a thickness of 150 nm by asputtering method.

Then, part of the tungsten film was etched by photolithography to form aconductive film 220 functioning as a second electrode and a conductivefilm 174 functioning as a second wiring layer.

Next, a silicon oxide film was formed to a thickness of 500 nm by aplasma CVD method.

Then, a top surface of the silicon oxide film was subjected to CMPtreatment to be planarized so that the thickness of the silicon oxidefilm became approximately 0 nm to 50 nm, and a top surface of thetungsten film was exposed.

Next, a silicon oxide film was formed to a thickness of 100 nm by aplasma CVD method.

Next, heat treatment was performed in a nitrogen atmosphere. Note thatSample 1 was subjected to heat treatment at 490° C. for 10 hours,whereas Sample 2 was subjected to heat treatment at 450° C. for 1 hour.By the heat treatment, further dehydrogenation treatment was performed.

Next, an aluminum oxide film was formed to a thickness of 50 nm by asputtering method. The aluminum oxide film has a function of blockingoxygen, hydrogen, and the like. Thus, by providing the aluminum oxidefilm, hydrogen released from the transistor including single crystalsilicon or the insulating films, the conductive films, and the likeprovided near the transistor can be prevented from entering a transistorincluding an oxide semiconductor, which is to be manufactured later.

Next, a silicon oxynitride film containing excess oxygen was formed to athickness of 100 nm by a plasma CVD method. Note that the siliconoxynitride film releases oxygen because of heat treatment performedlater. The released oxygen is used in order to reduce oxygen vacanciesin the oxide semiconductor, so that the electrical characteristics andreliability of the transistor can be improved. Meanwhile, when thereleased oxygen reaches single crystal silicon, the electricalcharacteristics and reliability of the transistor might be degraded. Theabove-described aluminum oxide film has a function of preventing entryof oxygen to single crystal silicon. Thus, even if the siliconoxynitride film containing excess oxygen is provided, the transistorincluding single crystal silicon can have good electricalcharacteristics and high reliability.

Next, for Sample 1, a 20-nm-thick first oxide semiconductor film and a20-nm-thick second oxide semiconductor film were sequentially formed bya sputtering method. In addition, for Sample 2, a 20-nm-thick firstoxide semiconductor film and a 15-nm-thick second oxide semiconductorfilm were sequentially formed by a sputtering method. The first oxidesemiconductor films were formed using a target having an atomic ratio ofIn:Ga:Zn=1:3:2. The second oxide semiconductor films were formed using atarget having an atomic ratio of In:Ga:Zn=1:1:1. Note that the firstoxide semiconductor film and the second oxide semiconductor film arecollectively referred to as an oxide semiconductor film 206.

Next, heat treatment was performed at 450° C. in a nitrogen atmospherefor 1 hour, and then heat treatment was performed at 450° C. in anoxygen atmosphere for 1 hour.

Next, part of the oxide semiconductor film 206 was etched byphotolithography, whereby the oxide semiconductor film 206 had an islandshape.

Then, parts of the silicon oxynitride film containing excess oxygen, thealuminum oxide film, and the silicon oxide film were etched to formopenings reaching the conductive film 220, the conductive film 174, andthe like.

Next, a tungsten film was formed to a thickness of 100 nm by asputtering method.

Part of the tungsten film was etched by photolithography to form aconductive film 216 a and a conductive film 216 b that function as asource electrode and a drain electrode of the transistor including anoxide semiconductor.

Next, a third oxide semiconductor film was formed to a thickness of 5 nmby a sputtering method. The third oxide semiconductor film was formedusing a target having an atomic ratio of In:Ga:Zn=1:3:2.

Next, a silicon oxynitride film was formed to a thickness of 20 nm by aplasma CVD method.

Next, a 30-nm-thick titanium nitride film and a 135-nm-thick tungstenfilm were formed sequentially by a sputtering method.

Then, parts of the titanium nitride film and the tungsten film wereetched by photolithography to form a conductive film 204 serving as agate electrode.

Next, parts of the third oxide semiconductor film and the siliconoxynitride film were etched by photolithography. The silicon oxynitridefilm is positioned between the second oxide semiconductor film that is achannel formation region and the conductive film 204 serving as the gateelectrode, and thus functions as a gate insulating film.

Next, an aluminum oxide film was formed to a thickness of 150 nm by asputtering method. The aluminum oxide film has a function of blockingoxygen, hydrogen, and the like. Thus, by providing the aluminum oxidefilm, hydrogen released from the transistor including single crystalsilicon or the insulating films, the conductive films, and the likeprovided near the transistor or hydrogen from the outside of thesemiconductor device can be prevented from entering the transistorincluding an oxide semiconductor. In addition, outward diffusion ofoxygen released from the silicon oxynitride film containing excessoxygen can be prevented and oxygen can be efficiently used in order toreduce oxygen vacancies in the oxide semiconductor.

Next, heat treatment was performed at 400° C. in an oxygen atmospherefor 1 hour. By the heat treatment, part of oxygen contained in thesilicon oxynitride film containing excess oxygen is released to besupplied to the first oxide semiconductor film first. Since the suppliedoxygen moves like a billiard ball in the first oxide semiconductor film,oxygen seems to be also supplied to the second oxide semiconductor film.That is, by the heat treatment, oxygen vacancies in the second oxidesemiconductor film that is the channel formation region can be reduced.At this time, an aluminum oxide film is provided in the periphery of thesecond oxide semiconductor film. Thus, oxygen released from the siliconoxynitride film containing excess oxygen is efficiently used in order toreduce the oxygen vacancies in the second oxide semiconductor film.

Next, a silicon oxynitride film was formed to a thickness of 300 nm by aplasma CVD method.

Then, parts of the silicon oxynitride film and the aluminum oxide filmwere etched to form openings reaching the conductive film 216 a, theconductive film 216 b, and the like.

Next, a 50-nm-thick titanium film, a 200-nm-thick aluminum film, and a50-nm-thick titanium film were formed sequentially by a sputteringmethod.

Then, parts of the above-described titanium film, aluminum film, andtitanium film were etched by photolithography to form a second wiringlayer.

In the above-described manner, as Sample 1 and Sample 2, thesemiconductor devices including the transistors including single crystalsilicon and the transistors including an oxide semiconductor can bemanufactured.

[Measurement]

The electrical characteristics of the transistors including singlecrystal silicon and the transistors including oxide semiconductorsincluded in Sample 1 and Sample 2 were measured.

Note that Sample 1 and Sample 2 are different from each other only inthe conditions of the two dehydrogenation treatment steps. Specifically,for Sample 1, heat treatment at 490° C. in a nitrogen atmosphere for 10hours was performed as the first and second dehydrogenation treatmentsteps, whereas for Sample 2, heat treatment at 450° C. in a nitrogenatmosphere for 5 hours was performed as the first dehydrogenationtreatment step and heat treatment at 450° C. in a nitrogen atmospherefor 1 hour was performed as the second dehydrogenation treatment step.

FIG. 30 shows the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics of the transistorsincluding single crystal silicon. The V_(g)−I_(d) characteristicsmeasurement of the n-channel transistors was performed by measuringdrain current (I_(d)) when the drain voltage (V_(d)) was set to 0.1 V or1.8 V and the gate voltage (V_(g)) was swept in the range of −1.8 V to3.3 Vat 0.1 V intervals. The V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics measurement ofthe p-channel transistors was performed by measuring drain current(I_(d)) when the gate voltage (V_(g)) was swept in the range of 1.8 V to−3.3 V at 0.1 V intervals. Note that the design values of the channellength and the channel width of the transistors were 0.35 μm and 1.6 μm,respectively. The measurement was performed on 25 transistors uniformlyarranged over a substrate with a size of 126.6 mm².

As shown in FIG. 30, there was little difference in the electricalcharacteristics of the transistors including single crystal siliconbetween Sample 1 and Sample 2. Specifically, the n-channel transistor inSample 1 had a threshold voltage of 0.47 V and a subthreshold swingvalue (also referred to as an S value) of 67.0 mV/dec. The n-channeltransistor in Sample 2 had a threshold voltage of 0.51 V and an S valueof 67.6 mV/dec. The p-channel transistor in Sample 1 had a thresholdvoltage of −0.59 V and an S value of 69.0 mV/dec. The p-channeltransistor in Sample 2 had a threshold voltage of −0.55 V and an S valueof 71.6 mV/dec. Note that the threshold voltage was derived from theV_(g)−I_(d) characteristics at a drain voltage of 1.8 V and the S valueswere derived from the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics at a drain voltage of0.1 V.

The electrical characteristics of a transistor are presumed to bedegraded when hydrogen terminating dangling bonds of single crystalsilicon is released. As shown in FIG. 30, however, there is littledifference in the electrical characteristics of the transistorsincluding single crystal silicon between Sample 1 and Sample 2. Thismeans that release of hydrogen terminating dangling bonds of singlecrystal silicon is less likely to occur in Sample 1 even under theconditions where release of hydrogen is more likely to occur than inSample 2.

Next, the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics of the transistors including oxidesemiconductors were measured. Note that the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristicsof three kinds of structures were measured in order to examine influenceof the openings formed in the layers in the vicinity of the transistors.FIGS. 31A to 31C are top views each illustrating the transistorincluding an oxide semiconductor and the periphery thereof.

FIG. 31A illustrates a structure (Structure 1) that does not have anopening between the conductive film 174 and each of the conductive films216 a and 216 b. FIG. 31B illustrates a structure (Structure 2) that hasone opening 260 between the conductive film 174 and the conductive film216 a and one opening 260 between the conductive film 174 and theconductive film 216 b. FIG. 31C illustrates a structure (Structure 3)that has one opening 260 between the conductive film 174 and theconductive film 216 a, one opening 260 between the conductive film 174and the conductive film 216 b, and openings in peripheral wiring layers.

FIG. 32 shows the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics of the transistorsincluding oxide semiconductors in the structures illustrated in FIGS.31A to 31C. Measurement of the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics was performedby measuring drain current (I_(d)) when the drain voltage (V_(d)) wasset to 0.1 V or 2.7 V and the gate voltage (V_(g)) was swept in therange of −3 V to 3 V at 0.1 V intervals. Note that the design values ofthe channel length and the channel width of the transistors were 0.8 μmand 0.8 μm, respectively. The measurement was performed on 25transistors uniformly arranged over a substrate with a size of 126.6mm².

As shown in FIG. 32, there was little difference in the electricalcharacteristics of the transistors including oxide semiconductorsbetween Sample 1 and Sample 2 in Structure 1. Specifically, Sample 1 hada shift value (also referred to as Shift) of 0.44 V and an S value of90.7 mV/dec. Note that the shift value is a gate voltage at a draincurrent of 1×10⁻¹² A. Sample 2 had a shift value of 0.34 V and an Svalue of 98.4 mV/dec. Note that the shift values were derived from theV_(g)−I_(d) characteristics at a drain voltage of 2.7 V and the S valueswere derived from the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics at a drain voltage of0.1 V.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 32, there was a difference in theelectrical characteristics of the transistors including oxidesemiconductors in Sample 1 and Sample 2 in Structure 2. Specifically,Sample 1 had a shift value of 0.47 V and an S value of 95.3 mV/dec.,whereas Sample 2 had a shift value of 0.28 V and an S value of 132.1mV/dec. Sample 2 in Structure 2 had a larger S value than Sample 2 inStructure 1. In contrast, Sample 1 in Structure 2 had an S valuesubstantially equal to that in Structure 1 and had favorable electricalcharacteristics also in Structure 2.

Moreover, as shown in FIG. 32, there was a significant difference in theelectrical characteristics of the transistors including oxidesemiconductors between Sample 1 and Sample 2 in Structure 3.Specifically, Sample 1 had a shift value of 0.24 V and an S value of98.1 mV/dec., whereas Sample 2 did not have switching characteristics.The above results reveal that Sample 1 in Structure 3 had an S valuesubstantially equal to those in Structure 1 and Structure 2 and hadfavorable electrical characteristics also in Structure 3.

The structure differences among Structure 1, Structure 2, and Structure3 indicate that presence or absence of the openings in Sample 2 affectsthe electrical characteristics of the transistors including oxidesemiconductors. Specifically, a larger number of openings in theperiphery of the transistor degrades the electrical characteristics. InSample 1, however, the electrical characteristics of the transistor arenot changed by the presence or absence of the opening as much as thosein Sample 2. This is probably because the dehydrogenation treatment wasnot sufficiently performed in Sample 2 as compared to Sample 1 andhydrogen moved to the transistor including an oxide semiconductorthrough the opening; in contrast, the dehydrogenation treatment wassufficiently performed in Sample 1 and degradation due to hydrogen washardly caused. Note that slight degradation of the electricalcharacteristics is observed depending on the structure in Sample 1. Inthat case, further improvement in the electrical characteristics ofSample 1 can be expected by improving the conditions of dehydrogenationtreatment.

All shift values derived from the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics shown inFIG. 32 are plotted in FIG. 33. Sample 1 had a 3σ of the shift value of0.05 V in Structure 1, 0.07 V in Structure 2, and 0.21 V in Structure 3.In contrast, Sample 2 had a 3σ of the shift value of 0.05 V in Structure1 and 0.16 V in Structure 2, and the 3σ of the shift value in Structure3 was unmeasurable.

The above results show that Sample 1 has smaller variation in theV_(g)−I_(d) characteristics due to the structure differences than Sample2.

Structure 2 and Structure 3 have more openings than Structure 1 and arecloser to the structure of a highly integrated semiconductor device.Thus, in order to manufacture a highly integrated semiconductor devicewith high yield, it is probably important to achieve excellentelectrical characteristics even in a structure having many openings likeStructure 2 and Structure 3.

This example reveals that an improvement in the conditions ofdehydrogenation treatment can reduce degradation of the electricalcharacteristics of the transistors including an oxide semiconductor thathave a variety of structures without changes in the electricalcharacteristics of the transistors including single crystal silicon.This example also indicates that a further improvement of conditions ofdehydrogenation treatment can further suppress degradation of theelectrical characteristics of the transistors including oxidesemiconductors.

Example 3

In this example, it was examined of how electrical characteristics oftransistors including oxide semiconductors change depending on adifference in dehydrogenation treatment and a difference in thethickness of a silicon oxynitride film containing excess oxygen.

[Samples]

Methods for manufacturing Sample 3 and Sample 4 are described below.

Sample 3 was manufactured under conditions similar to those for Sample 1described in Example 2 except that the thickness of the second oxidesemiconductor film was 15 nm. The only difference between Sample 3 andSample 1 is the thickness of the second oxide semiconductor film;therefore, the description of Sample 1 is referred to for the otherconditions. In other words, dehydrogenation treatment for Sample 3 wasperformed under improved conditions.

Sample 4 was manufactured under conditions similar to those for Sample 2except that the thickness of the silicon oxynitride film containingexcess oxygen was 300 nm. The only difference between Sample 4 andSample 2 is the thickness of the silicon oxynitride film containingexcess oxygen; therefore, the description of Sample 2 is referred to forthe other conditions. Note that the thickness of the silicon oxynitridefilm containing excess oxygen in Sample 3 is 100 nm.

[Measurement]

Next, the V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics of Sample 3 and Sample 4 weremeasured. The V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics measurement was performed onthe samples having Structure 1 described in Example 2. The V_(g)−I_(d)characteristics measurement was performed by measuring drain current(I_(d)) when the drain voltage (V_(d)) was set to 1.8 V and the gatevoltage (V_(g)) was swept in the range of −3 V to 3 V at 0.1 V intervalsat room temperature (25° C.) and 85° C. The measurement was performed aplurality of times by changing voltage (V_(bg)) applied to theconductive film 220 that was the second gate electrode in the range of 0V to −20 V. Note that the design values of the channel length and thechannel width of the transistors were 0.8 μm and 0.8 μm, respectively.The measurement was performed on 13 transistors uniformly arranged overa substrate with a size of 126.6 mm².

Then, S values were calculated on the basis of the obtained V_(g)−I_(d)characteristics, and drain current at a gate voltage of 0 V was obtainedby extrapolation. FIGS. 34A and 34B show the results. FIG. 34A shows therelationship between voltage applied to the conductive film 220 at roomtemperature and drain current at a gate voltage of 0 V. FIG. 34B showsthe relationship between voltage applied to the conductive film 220 at85° C. and drain current at a gate voltage of 0 V.

As shown in FIGS. 34A and 34B, the drain current of Sample 3, for whichthe dehydrogenation treatment was performed under the improvedconditions, was overall lower than that of Sample 4. In addition, asmall thickness of the silicon oxynitride film containing excess oxygenis highly effective in reducing the drain current with respect to thevoltage applied to the conductive film 220 functioning as the secondgate electrode.

In addition, FIGS. 34A and 34B indicate that an improvement in theconditions of the dehydrogenation treatment can reduce drain current ina state where voltage is not applied to a gate electrode toapproximately 1×10⁻²² A to 1×10⁻³⁵ A. The drain current is sometimesused to mean off-state current. Thus, it is important to improveconditions of dehydrogenation treatment in the manufacture of asemiconductor device utilizing extremely small off-state current of atransistor including an oxide semiconductor.

Note that drain current obtained by extrapolation is different fromactual drain current in some cases. For example, in the case wherehydrogen enters a transistor including an oxide semiconductor, draincurrent obtained by extrapolation is lower than actual drain current insome cases. This indicates that a drastic reduction in hydrogen thatmight enter an oxide semiconductor is important in order to improve theelectrical characteristics of a transistor including an oxidesemiconductor.

Example 4

In this example, off-state current of an ideal transistor with noleakage current of a gate insulating film, no trap states, and noparasitic resistance was calculated and evaluated.

First, a structure of the transistor is described.

FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of the transistor in the channellength direction. N-type regions (also referred to as low-resistanceregions) in contact with a source electrode and a drain electrode areprovided in an entire region of an oxide semiconductor film S2overlapped with the source electrode and the drain electrode. Thetransistor had a channel length L of 0.8 μm, a channel width W of 1 nm,and a width Lov of a region where a gate electrode overlaps the sourceelectrode or the drain electrode of 0.2 μm.

Next, calculation conditions are described.

The calculation was performed under conditions shown in Table 2, usingSentaurus Device produced by Synopsys, Inc.

TABLE 2 Structure L 0.8 μm Lov 0.2 μm W 1 nm GI Relative dielectricconstant 4.1 Thickness 20 nm S3 Composition ratio IGZO (132) Electronaffinity 4.4 eV Eg 3.6 eV Relative dielectric constant 15 Donor density 6.60E−9 cm⁻³ Electron mobility 0.1 cm²/Vs Hole mobility 0.01 cm²/Vs Nc5.00E+18 cm⁻³ Nv 5.00E+18 cm⁻³ Thickness 5 nm S2 Composition ratio IGZO(111) IGZO(312) Electron affinity 4.6 eV Eg 3.2 eV 2.8 eV Relativedielectric constant 15 Donor density of channel portion 6.60E−9 cm⁻³Donor density of  5.00E+18 cm⁻³ portion under S/D electrode Electronmobility 10 cm²/Vs 20 cm²/Vs Hole mobility 0.01 cm²/Vs Nc 5.00E+18 cm⁻³Nv 5.00E+18 cm⁻³ Thickness 15 nm S1 Composition ratio IGZO (132)Thickness 20 nm Insulating Relative dielectric constant 4.1 filmThickness 230 nm GE Work function 5 eV Thickness 165 nm S/D Workfunction 4.6 eV Thickness 100 nm IGZO(111) . . . oxide target withIn:Ga:Zn = 1:1:1 (composition ratio) IGZO(132) . . . oxide target withIn:Ga:Zn = 1:3:2 (composition ratio) IGZO(312) . . . oxide target withIn:Ga:Zn = 3:1:2 (composition ratio)

In Table 2, GI represents a gate insulating film; S3, an oxide film; S2,an oxide semiconductor film; S1, an oxide semiconductor film; GE, a gateelectrode; and S/D, a source electrode and a drain electrode. Note thatG1 corresponds to the gate insulating film 212 in Embodiment 1; S3, theoxide semiconductor film 206 c in Embodiment 1; S2, the oxidesemiconductor film 206 b in Embodiment 1; S1, the oxide semiconductorfilm 206 a in Embodiment 1; GE, the first conductive film 204 inEmbodiment 1; S/D, the conductive films 216 a and 216 b in Embodiment 1;and the insulating film, the insulating film 172 in Embodiment 1.

FIG. 36 shows V_(g)−I_(d) characteristics and an S value at a drainvoltage V_(d) of 1.8 V.

As shown in FIG. 36, the off-state current of both of the idealtransistor using IGZO (111) for the oxide semiconductor film S2 and theideal transistor using IGZO (312) for the oxide semiconductor film S2was reduced to approximately 1×10⁻³⁵ A/μm that is a calculable limitvalue. In addition, the S value of the transistors was able to beestimated at 66 mV/dec.

Example 5

In this example, the electrical characteristics of a transistor of oneembodiment of the present invention are described.

[Sample]

Sample 5 used for measurement is described below.

For Sample 5, a transistor including an oxide semiconductor wasmanufactured over a single crystal substrate through steps similar tothose after the step of forming the silicon oxynitride film containingexcess oxygen in the method for manufacturing Sample 1 and Sample 2described in Example 2.

The method for manufacturing Sample 5 is different from themanufacturing method described in Example 2 in that the thickness of asilicon oxynitride film containing excess oxygen is 300 nm, thethickness of a second oxide semiconductor film is 15 nm, the thicknessof a silicon oxynitride film functioning as a gate insulating film is 10nm, and the thickness of an aluminum oxide film is 70 nm.

[Measurement of Off-State Current]

Next, a method for measuring off-state current of Sample 5 manufacturedin the above manner and the measurement results are described withreference to FIG. 37, FIGS. 38A and 38B, FIG. 39, and FIGS. 40A and 40B.

[Measurement System]

A measurement system shown in FIG. 37 includes a capacitor 400, atransistor 401, a transistor 402, a transistor 403, and a transistor404. Here, the transistor 403 is a transistor for injection of chargeand the transistor 404 is a transistor for evaluation of leakagecurrent. The transistor 401 and the transistor 402 form an outputcircuit 406. A point where a source terminal (or drain terminal) of thetransistor 403, a drain terminal (or source terminal) of the transistor404, a first terminal of the capacitor 400, and a gate terminal of thetransistor 401 were connected to each other is referred to as a node A.

When the transistor for injection of charge and the transistor forevaluation are separately provided, the transistor for evaluation can bealways kept in an off state at the time of injection of charge. In thecase where the transistor for injection of charge is not provided, thetransistor for evaluation needs to be turned on once at the time ofinjection of charge; accordingly, it takes longer time for measurementwhen an element takes time to be in a steady state of an off state froman on state. In addition, the transistor for evaluation does not need tobe turned on once, so that there is no influence of change in thepotential of the node A caused by flow of part of the charge in achannel formation region of the transistor into the node A.

The channel width W of the transistor for evaluation is preferablylarger than that of the transistor for injection of charge. When thechannel width W of the transistor for evaluation is larger than that ofthe transistor for injection of charge, leakage current other thanleakage current of the transistor for evaluation can be relativelyreduced. As a result, the leakage current of the transistor forevaluation can be measured with high accuracy.

In the measurement system shown in FIG. 37, the source terminal (ordrain terminal) of the transistor 403, the drain terminal (or sourceterminal) of the transistor 404, and the first terminal of the capacitor400 are connected to the gate terminal of the transistor 401. A secondterminal of the capacitor 400 and a source terminal (or drain terminal)of the transistor 404 are connected to each other. A drain terminal (orsource terminal) of the transistor 401 is connected to a power source, asource terminal (or drain terminal) of the transistor 402 is connectedto a power source, and a drain terminal (or source terminal) of thetransistor 403 is connected to a power source.

In the measurement system shown in FIG. 37, a potential V3 is appliedfrom the power source to the drain terminal (or source terminal) of thetransistor 403, and a potential V4 is applied from the power source tothe source terminal (or drain terminal) of the transistor 404. Apotential V1 is applied from the power source to the drain terminal (orsource terminal) of the transistor 401, and a potential V2 is appliedfrom the power source to the source terminal (or drain terminal) of thetransistor 402. An output potential V_(out) is output from a terminalcorresponding to an output terminal of the output circuit 406 to which asource terminal (or drain terminal) of the transistor 401 and a drainterminal (or source terminal) of the transistor 402 are connected.

In the above structure, a potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) for adjusting theoutput circuit 406 is applied to a gate terminal of the transistor 402,a potential V_(ext) _(_) _(c) for controlling the on/off of thetransistor 403 is applied to a gate terminal of the transistor 403, apotential V_(ext) _(_) _(b) for controlling a state of the transistorfor evaluation is applied to a gate terminal of the transistor 404.

Note that in FIG. 37, the capacitor 400 is not necessarily provided. Inthat case, the gate terminal of the transistor 401, the source terminal(or drain terminal) of the transistor 403, and the drain terminal (orsource terminal) of the transistor 404 are connected to each other atthe node A.

[Method for Measuring Current]

Next, an example of a method for measuring current using theabove-described measurement system is described with reference to FIGS.38A and 38B.

First, a writing period in which a potential difference is applied tomeasure the off-state current is briefly described with reference toFIG. 38A.

In the writing period, the potential V3 was input to the drain terminal(or source terminal) of the transistor 403 and the potential V_(ext)_(_) _(c) for turning on the transistor 403 was then input to the gateterminal of the transistor 403, so that the potential V3 was applied tothe node A connected to the drain terminal (or source terminal) of thetransistor 404. The potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) for turning on thetransistor 402 was input, whereby the transistor 402 was turned on. Thepotential V_(ext) _(_) _(b) for turning off the transistor 404 wasinput, whereby the transistor 404 was turned off.

Here, the potential V3 was set to a high potential (H1) and thepotential V_(ext) _(_) _(c) was set to a high potential (H2). Thepotential V1 was set to a high potential (H3). The potential V_(ext)_(_) _(a) was set to a low potential (L4), the potential V2 was set to alow potential (L5), the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(b) was set to a lowpotential (L2), and the potential V4 was set to Vss.

Then, the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) for turning off the transistor 402was input, whereby the transistor 402 was turned off. The potential V2was set to a high potential (H4) and the potential V1 was set to a lowpotential (L3). Here, the potential V2 was the same potential as thepotential V1. Next, the potential V3 was set to a low potential (L). Thepotential V_(ext) _(_) _(c) for turning off the transistor 403 was inputto the gate terminal of the transistor 403, whereby the transistor 403was turned off.

Here, the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(c) was set to a low potential (L2),the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) was set to a high potential (H4), thepotential V3 was set to a low potential (L1), the potential V1 was setto a low potential (L3), and the potential V2 was set to a highpotential (H4). The potential V_(ext) _(_) _(b) was set to a lowpotential (L2) and the potential V4 was set to Vss.

Thus, the writing period was completed. In a state where the writingperiod was completed, the transistor 404 was off but a potentialdifference was generated between the node A and the source terminal(drain terminal) of the transistor 404. Thus, a slight amount of currentflows in the transistor 404. That is, the off-state current (i.e.,leakage current) flows.

Next, a reading period was started. In the reading period, the amount ofchange in the potential of the node A due to a change in the amount ofelectric charge retained in the node A was measured. The operation inthe reading period is described with reference to FIG. 38B.

When the reading period was started, the amount of electric chargeretained in the capacitor connected to the node A changes over time, andthe potential of the node A thus changed. This means that the potentialof the input terminal of the output circuit 406 changed. Consequently,the potential of the output terminal of the output circuit 406 alsochanged over time.

Note that in the reading period, it is preferable that a measurementperiod M for measuring the amount of change in the potential of the nodeA and a storage period S for storing electric charge in the node A beperformed repeatedly. When the measurement of the amount of change inthe potential of the node A and the storage of electric charge of thenode A are performed repeatedly, it can be confirmed that the measuredvalue of voltage is a value in a steady state. In other words, thetransient current (a current component that decreases over time afterthe measurement starts) can be removed from a current I_(A) flowingthrough the node A. Consequently, the leakage current can be measuredwith higher accuracy.

When the relationship between VA denoting the potential of the node A,and the output potential V_(out) is obtained in advance, the potentialVA can be obtained from the output potential V_(out). In general, VAdenoting the potential of the node A can be measured as a function ofthe output potential V_(out) and expressed by the following equation.V _(A) =F(Vout)  [Equation 1]

Electric charge Q_(A) denoting the electric charge in the capacitorconnected to the node A can be expressed by the following equation usingthe potential V_(A), C_(A) denoting the capacitance of the capacitorconnected to the node A, and a constant (const). Here, the capacitanceCA of the capacitor connected to the node A is the sum of thecapacitance of the capacitor 400 and other capacitance (e.g., the inputcapacitance of the output circuit 406).Q _(A) =C _(A) V _(A)+const  [Equation 2]

Current I_(A) of the node A is the time derivatives of electric chargeflowing to the node A (or electric charge flowing from the node A), sothat the current I_(A) of the node A is expressed by the followingequation.

$\begin{matrix}{{I_{A} \equiv \frac{\Delta\; Q_{A}}{\Delta\; t}} = \frac{C_{\overset{.}{A}}\Delta\;{F({Vout})}}{\Delta\; t}} & \left\lbrack {{Equation}\mspace{14mu} 3} \right\rbrack\end{matrix}$

As described above, the current I_(A) flowing through the node A can beobtained from the capacitance CA connected to the node A, the outputpotential V_(out) of the output circuit 406, and change over time Δt.

Note that the current I_(A) is the sum of current I_(dev) flowing in thetransistor 404, and current I_(leak) that is current other than thecurrent I_(dev), so that in order to obtain the current I_(dev) withhigh accuracy, the measurement is preferably carried out with ameasurement system in which the current I_(leak) is sufficiently smallerthan the current I_(dev). Alternatively, the accuracy in obtaining thecurrent I_(dev) may be increased by estimating the current I_(leak) andthen subtracting it from the current I_(A).

Here, in the measurement period M, the potential V2 was set to a lowpotential (L5) and the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) was set to a lowpotential (L4), whereby the transistor 402 was turned on. Note that inorder to turn on the transistor 402, the low potential (L4) of thepotential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) was higher than the low potential (L5) ofthe potential V2. The potential V1 was set to a high potential (H3). Thepotential V_(ext) _(_) _(c) was set to a low potential (L2), and thepotential V3 was set to a low potential (L1). The potential V_(ext) _(_)_(b) was set to a low potential (L2) and the potential V4 was set toVss.

In the storage period S, the potential V2 is set to a high potential(H4) and the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) is set to a high potential(H4), whereby the transistor 402 is turned off. The potential V1 is setto a low potential (L3). Note that the potential V1, the potential V2,and the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) were the same potentials. Thepotential V_(ext) _(_) _(c) is set to a low potential (L2) and thepotential V3 is set to a low potential (L1). The potential V_(ext) _(_)_(b) is set to a low potential (L2) and the potential V4 is set to Vss.

Minute current flowing through the transistor 404 can be measured by theabove-described method.

In this example, the transistors 401 and 402 each has a channel length Lof 3 μm and a channel width W of 100 μm, the transistor 403 has achannel length L of 10 μm and a channel width W of 10 μm, and thetransistor 404 has a channel length L of 0.8 μm and a channel width W of10000 μm. Note that each transistor was manufactured under the samecondition as Sample 1.

Next, a measurement sequence is described. Two types of measurementsequences were used as the measurement sequence.

In the first sequence, a cycle in which the measurement temperature was125° C., Δt used in calculation of current I flowing in the transistorwas 1 hour, and the writing period was provided per Δt was repeated 10times. Then, a cycle in which the measurement temperature was 85° C., Δtwas 6 hours, and the writing period was provided per Δt was repeated 4times.

In the second sequence, a cycle in which the measurement temperature was150° C., Δt was 1 hour, and the writing period was provided per Δt wasrepeated 10 times. Then, a cycle in which the measurement temperaturewas 125° C., Δt was 1 hour, and the writing period was provided per Δtwas repeated 10 times. After that, a cycle in which the measurementtemperature was 85° C., Δt was 6 hours, and the writing period wasprovided per Δt was repeated 4 times. Then, a cycle in which themeasurement temperature was 85° C., Δt was 12 hours, and the writingperiod was provided per Δt was repeated 3 times. Then, a cycle in whichthe measurement temperature was 60° C., Δt was 60 hours, and the writingperiod was provided per Δt was performed once.

Note that in this example, in the writing period, the high potential(H1) of the potential V3 was set to 2 V and the low potential (L1) ofthe potential V3 was set to 1 V. The high potential (H2) of thepotential V_(ext) _(_) _(c) was set to 5 V and the low potential (L2)thereof was set to −3 V. The high potential (H3) of the potential V1 wasset to 3 V and the low potential (L3) thereof was set to 1.5 V. The highpotential (H4) of the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) was set to 1.5 V andthe low potential (L4) thereof was set to −1 V. The high potential (H4)of the potential V2 was set to 1.5 V and the low potential (L5) thereofwas set to −2 V. The potential V_(ext) _(_) _(b) was set to −3 V and thetransistor 404 was thus turned off, and the potential V4 was set to 1 V.Here, a voltage of 2 V was applied to the node A.

In a reading period, a measurement period M for 10 seconds and a storageperiod S for 290 seconds were collectively regarded as one set, and thereading operation was repeatedly performed, so that the output potentialV_(out) was measured.

In this example, in the reading period, the high potential (H1) of thepotential V1 was set to 5 V and the low potential (L1) thereof was setto 1.5 V. The high potential (H4) of the potential V_(ext) _(_) _(a) wasset to 1.5 V and the low potential (L4) thereof was set to −1 V. Thehigh potential (H4) of the potential V2 was set to 1.5 V and the lowpotential (L5) thereof was set to −2 V. The low potential (L2) of thepotential V3 was set to 1 V. The low potential (L2) of the potentialV_(ext) _(_) _(c) was set to −3 V. The potential V_(ext) _(_) _(b) wasset to −3 V and the transistor 404 was thus turned off, and thepotential V4 was set to 1 V.

FIG. 39 shows, as an example of the measurement data, the relationshipbetween the elapsed time and the output voltage V_(out) of the outputcircuit 406 in the second measurement sequence. As shown in FIG. 39, thepotential changes as time passes.

FIGS. 40A and 40B show leakage current calculated by the measurement ofthe output potential V_(out). FIG. 40A shows measurement results of thefirst measurement sequence, and FIG. 40B shows measurement results ofthe second measurement sequence. Note that FIGS. 40A and 40B show therelationship between the elapsed time and the leakage current flowingbetween the source electrode and the drain electrode.

As shown in FIGS. 40A and 40B, the value of the leakage current tends togradually decrease shortly after the start of the measurement and toconverge on a specific value. In the condition having the highestmeasurement temperature, the value of the lowest measured current wasregarded as the leakage current for the temperature.

As shown in FIG. 40A, the leakage current was lower than 5×10⁻²¹ A/μm (5zA/μm) at a measurement temperature of 125° C., and the leakage currentwas lower than 1×10⁻²² A/μm (100 yA (yoctoampere)/μm) at a measurementtemperature of 85° C. Note that 1 yA equals 10⁻²⁴ A.

As shown in FIG. 40B, the leakage current at a measurement temperatureof 150° C. was lower than 1.5×10⁻²⁰ A/μm (15 zA (zeptoampere)/μm), theleakage current at a measurement temperature of 125° C. was lower than2×10⁻²¹ A/μm (2 zA/μm), the leakage current at a measurement temperatureof 85° C. was lower than 5×10⁻²³ A/μm (50 yA/μm), and the leakagecurrent at a measurement temperature of 60° C. was lower than 6×10⁻²⁴A/μm (6 yA/μm). Note that 1 zA equals 10⁻²¹ A.

It was found from the above results that influence of a transitionalchange in current can be suppressed effectively and original leakagecurrent of the transistor can be measured by increasing the measurementtemperature at the start of the measurement.

As described above, this example reveals that the off-state current issufficiently small in a transistor including a highly purified oxidesemiconductor whose oxygen vacancies are reduced.

FIG. 41 shows an Arrhenius plot of the leakage current shown in FIG.40B. As shown in FIG. 41, the temperature dependence of the leakagecurrent measured above is expressed as a straight line and theactivation energy was substantially constant; thus, the measured valueswere found to be reasonable.

Example 6

In this example, off-state current of Sample 6 manufactured by a methodsimilar to that of Sample 1 in Example 2 was measured.

The off-state current was measured by a method similar to that describedin Example 5. The first measurement sequence was used.

FIG. 42A shows leakage current calculated by the measurement of outputpotential V_(out). FIG. 42B shows an Arrhenius plot of the leakagecurrent shown in FIG. 42A. As shown in FIGS. 42A and 42B, the leakagecurrent at a measurement temperature of 125° C. was lower than 1×10⁻²⁰A/μm (10 zA/μm), and the leakage current at a measurement temperature of85° C. was lower than 2×10⁻²² A/μm (200 yA/μm).

The above results reveal that the off-state current of a transistorincluding an oxide semiconductor in the semiconductor device of oneembodiment of the present invention can be sufficiently small even whena transistor including single crystal semiconductor is provided belowthe transistor including an oxide semiconductor.

Reference Example

As a reference example, necessary retentions years and target (required)leakage current at 85° C. of devices are described.

The required retention years of the devices and the target leakagecurrent at 85° C. thereof are described with reference to FIG. 43.

A semiconductor device shown in FIG. 20 is a memory device that iscalled a dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM) andincludes a transistor including an oxide semiconductor as a selectiontransistor (a transistor as a switching element) of a memory cell.

In a DOSRAM in which the area occupied by one memory cell is 8 F²(F=minimum feature size), the target current of the transistor is lowerthan 100 aA/μm, the time for retaining electric potential is 1 hour orlonger, the capacitance for retaining electric potential is 30 fF, andthe acceptable threshold voltage change is 0.3 V.

In the normally-off CPUs shown in FIG. 22, the target current of atransistor is lower than 3 zA/μm, the time for retaining electricpotential is 1 day or longer, the capacitance for retaining electricpotential is 184 fF, and the acceptable threshold voltage change is 0.1V.

The semiconductor device illustrated in FIGS. 1A to 1C is called anonvolatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM). In asmall-scale NOSRAM, the target current of a transistor is lower than 93yA/μm, the time for retaining electric potential is 10 years or longer,the capacitance for retaining electric potential is 21 fF, and theacceptable threshold voltage change is 0.5 V. In a 2-level NOSRAM, thetarget current of a transistor is lower than 1.5 yA/μm, the time forretaining electric potential is 10 years or longer, the capacitance forretaining electric potential is 39 aF, and the acceptable thresholdvoltage change is 0.5 V. In an 8-level NOSRAM, the target current of atransistor is lower than 0.02 yA/μm, the time for retaining electricpotential is 10 years or longer, the capacitance for retaining electricpotential is 39 aF, and the acceptable threshold voltage change is 0.1V.

In an FPGA, the target current of a transistor is lower than 44 yA/μm,the time for retaining electric potential is 10 years or longer, thecapacitance for retaining electric potential is 184 fF, and theacceptable threshold voltage change is 0.3 V.

EXPLANATION OF REFERENCE

100: transistor, 150: semiconductor substrate, 160: insulating film,162: insulating film, 164: conductive film, 166: impurity region, 170:insulating film, 171: barrier film, 172: insulating film, 173:conductive film, 174: conductive film, 175: void, 176: insulating film,200: transistor, 204: conductive film, 205: conductive film, 206: oxidesemiconductor film, 206 a: oxide semiconductor film, 206 b: oxidesemiconductor film, 206 c: oxide semiconductor film, 212: gateinsulating film, 213: insulating film, 215: oxide semiconductor film,216 a: conductive film, 216 b: conductive film, 218: barrier film, 219:insulating film, 220: conductive film, 250: capacitor, 400: capacitor,401: transistor, 402: transistor, 403: transistor, 404: transistor, 406:output circuit, 700: substrate, 701: pixel portion, 702: scan linedriver circuit, 703: scan line driver circuit, 704: signal line drivercircuit, 710: capacitor wiring, 712: gate wiring, 713: gate wiring, 714:drain electrode layer, 716: transistor, 717: transistor, 718: liquidcrystal element, 719: liquid crystal element, 720: pixel. 721: switchingtransistor, 722: driver transistor, 723: capacitor, 724: light-emittingelement, 725: signal line, 726: scan line, 727: power supply line, 728:common electrode, 800: RF tag, 801: communication device, 802: antenna,803: wireless signal, 804: antenna, 805: rectifier circuit, 806:constant voltage circuit, 807: demodulation circuit, 808: modulationcircuit, 809: logic circuit, 810: memory circuit, 811: ROM, 901:housing, 902: housing, 903: display portion, 904: display portion, 905:microphone, 906: speaker, 907: operation key, 908: stylus, 911: housing,912: housing, 913: display portion, 914: display portion, 915: joint,916: operation key, 921: housing, 922: display portion, 923: keyboard,924: pointing device, 931: housing, 932: refrigerator door, 933: freezerdoor, 941: housing, 942: housing, 943: display portion, 944: operationkey, 945: lens, 946: joint, 951: car body, 952: wheel, 953: dashboard,954: light, 1189: ROM interface, 1190: substrate, 1191: ALU, 1192: ALUcontroller, 1193: instruction decoder, 1194: interrupt controller, 1195:timing controller, 1196: register, 1197: register controller, 1198: businterface, 1199: ROM, 1200: memory element, 1201: circuit, 1202:circuit, 1203: switch, 1204: switch, 1206: logic element, 1207:capacitor, 1208: capacitor, 1209: transistor, 1210: transistor, 1213:transistor, 1214: transistor, 1220: circuit, 5100: pellet, 5100 a:pellet, 5100 b: pellet, 5101: ion, 5102: zinc oxide layer, 5103:particle, 5105 a: pellet, 5105 a 1: region, 5105 a 2: pellet, 5105 b:pellet, 5105 c: pellet, 5105 d: pellet, 5105 d 1: region, 5105 e:pellet, 5120: substrate, 5130: target, 5161: region, 8000: displaymodule, 8001: upper cover, 8002: lower cover, 8003: FPC, 8006: displaypanel, 8007: backlight unit, 8008: light source, 8009: frame, 8010:printed board, 8011: battery

This application is based on Japanese Patent Application serial No.2013-219682 filed with the Japan Patent Office on Oct. 22, 2013, theentire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A semiconductor device comprising: a firstinsulating film; a first barrier film over the first insulating film; asecond insulating film over the first barrier film, the secondinsulating film including a region containing oxygen at a higherproportion than oxygen in a stoichiometric composition; and a firsttransistor comprising a first oxide semiconductor film over the secondinsulating film, wherein an amount of hydrogen molecules released fromthe first insulating film at a temperature higher than or equal to 400°C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy, is less thanor equal to 130% of an amount of released hydrogen molecules at 300° C.2. The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein in the firstinsulating film, a detection intensity of a mass-to-charge ratio of 2with respect to a temperature is less than or equal to 4×10⁻¹¹ A at 400°C., which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy.
 3. Thesemiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first transistorfurther comprising: a source electrode and a drain electrode which arein contact with the first oxide semiconductor film; a gate insulatingfilm over the first oxide semiconductor film, the source electrode, andthe drain electrode; and a gate electrode over the gate insulating film,wherein a concentration of hydrogen in each of the gate insulating film,the second insulating film, and the first oxide semiconductor film islower than 5×10¹⁸ atoms/cm³.
 4. The semiconductor device according toclaim 3, wherein the gate electrode faces a top surface and a sidesurface of the first oxide semiconductor film with the gate insulatingfilm interposed therebetween.
 5. The semiconductor device according toclaim 3, wherein a capacitor is provided to be electrically connected tothe source electrode or the drain electrode of the first transistor, andwherein an off-state current per microfarad of capacitance and permicrometer of channel width of the first transistor is lower than 4.3 yAat 85° C.
 6. The semiconductor device according to claim 3, wherein acapacitor is provided to be electrically connected to the sourceelectrode or the drain electrode of the first transistor, and wherein anoff-state current per microfarad of capacitance and per micrometer ofchannel width of the first transistor is lower than 1.5 yA at 95° C. 7.The semiconductor device according to claim 1, wherein the first barrierfilm comprises aluminum oxide, and wherein an amount of hydrogenmolecules released from the first barrier film at a temperature higherthan or equal to 20° C. and lower than or equal to 600° C., which ismeasured by thermal desorption spectroscopy, is less than 2×10¹⁵/cm². 8.The semiconductor device according to claim 1, further comprising asecond barrier film over the first transistor.
 9. The semiconductordevice according to claim 8, wherein the second barrier film comprisesaluminum oxide, and wherein an amount of hydrogen molecules releasedfrom the second barrier film at a temperature higher than or equal to20° C. and lower than or equal to 600° C., which is measured by thermaldesorption spectroscopy, is less than 2×10¹⁵/cm².
 10. The semiconductordevice according to claim 1, wherein a second oxide semiconductor filmand a third oxide semiconductor film are provided with the first oxidesemiconductor film interposed therebetween, and wherein the second oxidesemiconductor film and the third oxide semiconductor film each compriseone or more kinds of metal elements contained in the first oxidesemiconductor film.
 11. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,wherein a second transistor formed using a semiconductor substrate isprovided under the first insulating film to be electrically connected tothe first transistor.
 12. The semiconductor device according to claim 1,wherein the S value of the first transistor is greater than or equal to60 mV/dec. and less than or equal to 100 mV/dec.
 13. A semiconductordevice comprising: a first insulating film; a first barrier film overthe first insulating film; a second insulating film over the firstbarrier film, the second insulating film including a region containingoxygen at a higher proportion than oxygen in a stoichiometriccomposition; and a first transistor comprising a first oxidesemiconductor film over the second insulating film, wherein an amount ofhydrogen molecules released from the first insulating film at 450° C.,which is measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy, is less than orequal to 130% of an amount of released hydrogen molecules at 350° C. 14.A semiconductor device comprising: a memory cell comprising: a firsttransistor comprising an oxide semiconductor film comprising a channelformation region; and a second transistor, wherein one of a source and adrain of the first transistor is electrically connected to a node,wherein a gate of the second transistor is electrically connected to thenode, and wherein the memory cell is configured to hold data in the nodeat 85° C. for 10 years or longer when the first transistor is in anoff-state.
 15. A semiconductor device according to claim 14, furthercomprising: a first insulating film; a first barrier film over the firstinsulating film; and a second insulating film over the first barrierfilm, the second insulating film including a region containing oxygen ata higher proportion than oxygen in a stoichiometric composition; whereinthe oxide semiconductor film is over the second insulating film, andwherein an amount of hydrogen molecules released from the firstinsulating film at a temperature higher than or equal to 450° C., whichis measured by thermal desorption spectroscopy, is less than or equal to130% of an amount of released hydrogen molecules at 300° C.